Rural teaching and mental health: a challenge in the face of job insecurity

Abstract

Rural teachers play a fundamental role in remote communities, where schools are often the only spaces that guarantee education and opportunities for development. However, they face precarious working conditions that severely affect their mental health. In addition to low salaries, high expenses for transportation, housing, and teaching materials generate financial insecurity and chronic stress. Furthermore, family separation, social isolation, and the lack of basic services such as water, electricity, or connectivity increase the emotional burden and contribute to the onset of anxiety, depression, and burnout. The limited availability of continuing education and the scarce social recognition further reinforce feelings of lag and professional devaluation. These conditions not only undermine teachers’ quality of life but also affect the school climate and pedagogical continuity, widening the gaps between urban and rural areas. Addressing this issue is both a matter of social justice and a pressing public health need.