Psychosocial Health: Disparities Between Urban and Rural Communities

Abstract

Some baseline data are available on the impact of urbanization on physical health and mental illness, but very little on psychosocial well-being, notwithstanding the fact that this facet of health is intricately linked to total health and well-being as described by the World Health Organization (Basic documents, 36th edn. WHO, Geneva, 1986). There is specifically a dearth of knowledge on psychosocial well-being in urban versus rural areas in South Africa. Therefore, this study explored the psychosocial well-being of an African group in rural and urban areas of the North West Province of South Africa as found in four samples from 1998 to 2010. Results showed that urban participants manifested higher levels of psychosocial well-being on most facets of individual and social well-being, but rural participants manifested higher levels of well-being on some facets, such as spiritual well-being. Both rural and urban groups manifested relatively high levels of symptoms of distress, especially the rural groups. Psychosocial well-being decreased in both urban and rural areas between 1998 and 2008, but increased thereafter in 2010. Gender differences are noted in patterns of well-being in urban versus rural areas. On a theoretical level, the current findings underscore the distinction between pathology and well-being as two separate, but correlated dimensions of psychosocial health, as well as the relevance of context for well-being. On a practical level, the findings suggest the importance of implementing measures of various facets of well-being for a comprehensive understanding of well-being during urbanization. Findings add to a body of knowledge that may inform public health policy and the development of specifically targeted interventions.