The multidimensional concept of health status (complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity) was applied to migrant farmworkers, in an attempt to propose appropriate measures of the three dimensions of health and general health perceptions (GHP) of past, present and future health status. Data were obtained from the New York Migrant Health Interview Survey, conducted in Wayne County, New York in the summer of 1982. A randomly drawn, representative sample of 218 migrants responded to a 113-item questionnaire containing a limited number of measures concerned with health: 18 items on the Index of General Well-being (GWB) (a composite measure of mental health), 3 items on general health perceptions, and 1 question on physical health. When asked about their GHP, about 23% of migrant farmworkers reported stable health, 3% extremely low health, and 8% excellent health status. The study showed that the number of disability days was not a good measure of the physical health of capacity and the presence and severity of specific health problems was a preferred measure. The measure of mental health status was significantly correlated with the GWB. No measure of social health was included in the survey. (JMM)