The Alto Alentejo region combines olive and cereal farming, the cork and aeronautical industries, border heritage tourism, and a strong military presence in Elvas, Campo Maior, and Monforte. The local reality includes:

• Low population densityMany parishes have fewer than 100 inhabitants, hindering social support networks and access to in-person mental health services.

• Extreme weatherSummers above 40°C and cold winters in the Serra de São Mamede exacerbate fatigue, irritability, and seasonal depressive symptoms.

• Structural unemploymentRestructuring in the cork, metalworking, and air base sectors is creating financial anxiety and job uncertainty, especially in Ponte de Sor and Nisa.

• Labor migrationQualified young people move to the coast or Spain; parents and grandparents remain in villages with small family networks, vulnerable to loneliness and prolonged grief.

• Heavy border trafficThe EN4 and A6 highways see heavy freight truck traffic, increasing road accidents that can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• Marked agingMore than 30 of the % residents are 65+ years old; physical and medical limitations often trigger health anxiety and fear of loss of autonomy.

• Cross-border identity conflictsCommuters traveling between Elvas/Campo Maior and Badajoz face linguistic, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers, leading to adaptation stress.