Climate-Related Health Challenges and Digital Health Needs among Women Agricultural Workers in Limpopo, South Africa: A Qualitative Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background Climate change is intensifying heat exposure in agricultural and agro-processing work across southern Africa. Women face intersecting reproductive, occupational and caregiving burdens that are often overlooked by occupational health systems. Digital health offers potential adaptation strategies, but its suitability for women farm workers remains underexplored. Aim To explore climate-related health challenges and digital health needs among women working at a selected mango atchaar agro-processing farm outside Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design was employed. Purposive sampling recruited 25 women workers and two key informants (the farm manager and safety officer). Data were collected on 18 June 2026 through five focus group discussions and two semi-structured interviews. Tesch’s eight-step open-coding approach was used for analysis, guided by the socio-ecological model (SEM). Lincoln and Guba’s criteria ensured trustworthiness. Results Twenty-seven participants contributed to five themes: climate-related health experiences; occupational conditions and safety risks; healthcare access and support; digital health use, barriers and opportunities; and workplace and community strategies for improving women’s health. Among the women, 19 (76%) were aged 46 years or older. Heat-related experiences included fatigue, headaches, dizziness, swelling, raised blood pressure and lower-abdominal discomfort, potentially overlapping with menopausal symptoms. Prolonged standing, heavy loads and spice-dust exposure compounded these challenges. Women relied largely on family and peer support. Digital health access was constrained by workplace phone restrictions, data costs, management-only Wi-Fi and limited digital literacy. Conclusion Women’s climate-related occupational health risks reflect interacting individual, interpersonal, workplace and policy-level factors. Digital health interventions should be accessible, context-sensitive and integrated with workplace-based primary healthcare. Such interventions must complement, not replace, employers’ occupational health and safety responsibilities and regulatory enforcement. Multilevel strategies are essential to strengthen occupational protection and timely healthcare access.
Source: F1000Research
Institutions: University of the Witwatersrand, University of Limpopo
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,350
OpenAlex ID: W7225807981