Health indicators and factors affecting health status were surveyed in 4 areas of Mashonaland, Zimbabwe, in order to compare the health status of different occupational groups, in particular farm labourers, mineworkers and peri-urban workers. The surveys included nutritional anthropometry of the under 5s, data on demographic patterns and interviews to assess factors such as income, diet, environmental conditions and access to health services. It was found that the health status of children was poorest in the commercial farm areas. Poor health status was associated with other unfavourable factors including overcrowding, poor housing, poor access to water supplies and insanitary conditions. Income per household, relative to a poverty datum line computed for each area, was very much lower in the commercial farm areas than in the urban and mine areas.Farm labourers, who are shown by this study to be disadvantaged in many ways when compared to other occupational groups, are also in the most unfavourable position as regards trying to change the situation in which they find themselves, having neither a strong union nor representation on local councils. Legislation regulating both environmental and working conditions provides less protection to farm labourers than it does to the other labouring groups considered. It is concluded that the poor health status of disadvantaged groups in Zimbabwe will not be substantially improved while the national wealth remains in private hands. Policies to address ill health at its source will only be possible when there is public control of the national wealth.
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