Fuel poverty as a major determinant of perceived health: the case of France

Objectives: The number of households in fuel poverty is growing. Individuals increasingly struggle to heat their homes, and therefore, a growing number of individuals are exposed to low temperatures, which can affect their health. This study sought to determine the link between a subjective measure of fuel poverty (self-reported feeling cold) and self-reported health. The impact of other particular individual and environmental features on self-reported health were also analysed. Study design: Econometric analysis. Methods: The study method uses self-reported perception of thermal discomfort (self-reported feeling cold) as a proxy for fuel poverty. The French database of the Healthcare and Insurance survey carried by the Institute for Research and Information on Health Economics (IRDES) was used to estimate a dichotomous probit model. Results: The estimation allows us to infer a negative impact of fuel poverty on self-reported health. Thus, a person in fuel poverty is 2.36 percentage points more likely to report poor or fair health status than a person who is not in fuel poverty. Conclusion: It may be appropriate to reduce the impacts of fuel poverty to provide support for the most vulnerable categories of individuals with respect to the health impacts of fuel poverty and cold homes, e.g., chronic patients who experience difficulty heating their homes. (C) 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.