Psychological Well-Being, Physical Health, and the Quality of Life of a Group of Farm Workers in South Africa: The FLAGH Study

Abstract

This chapter presents a study which focuses on the health profile of a group of farm workers in the North West Province of South Africa and the relation between psychological well-being, physical health, and quality of life. The study was motivated by findings of the Transition and Health during Urbanization of South Africans (THUSA) study, in which farm workers were identified as the most vulnerable group regarding psychological well-being, physical health, and inadequate diets in comparison to people living in the different strata of urbanization. In South Africa, farm workers have historically experienced poor living conditions, received low wages, and were exposed to inadequate housing, poor sanitation, inadequate water supplies, and unfair labor practices. They are observed to be generally in a situation where they are locked into a cycle of poverty and dependence, with serious adverse effects on their health and that of their families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)