Factors Associated with Quality of Life Among Agricultural Workers of Durian Cultivation in Southern Thailand

AI Summary

Most durian farmworkers reported good overall QoL and good domain scores in physical, mental, social relationships, and environmental aspects.
Stress, age, marital status, and annual income were significantly associated with quality of life (p < .05).
RE-AIM aligned implementation strategies were proposed to inform health promotion and community initiatives improving durian farmworkers' well being.

J Agromedicine. 2026 Jun 25:1-14. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2026.2687772. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Quality of life (QoL) is an individual’s perception of life quality based on cultural values, goals, and standards in physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between demographic characteristics, health information factors, and the QoL of durian farmworkers. Additionally, proposed implementation strategies were developed based on factors associated with the QoL.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was designed to assess the QoL of 160 durian farmworkers in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and a face-to-face interview was conducted using a structural questionnaire that collected general demographic characteristics and health information. The validated, Thai-translated World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) tool was used to collect data on the QoL. The multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with the QoL. The finding factors were used to propose implementation strategies aligned with the RE-AIM principles (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance).

RESULTS: The majority (83.1%) of durian farmworkers reported a good QoL, with an overall mean score of 106.9 (range: 80-130). Domain-specific scores of physical health 27.1 (range: 20-34), mental health 25.3 (range: 16-30), social relationships 12.8 (range: 8-15), and environment 31.8 (range: 16-40) were within the good level. The results showed that stress, age, marital status, and annual income were significantly associated with the QoL (p < .05). Based on four key factors, proposed implementation strategies were developed, including expected outcome, activities, lead person, timelines, resources, and the evaluation method for RE-AIM alignment.

CONCLUSION: The study highlights age, marital status, annual income, and stress as key factors influencing the QoL of durian farmworkers. The proposed implementation strategies, may help inform health promotion and community-based initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of durian farmworkers and potentially similar fruit cultivation systems.

PMID:42345065 | DOI:10.1080/1059924X.2026.2687772

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