Health impacts of fuel poverty

1
Health impacts of fuel poverty

• Christine Liddell
• School of Psychology

Views of an expert??
impact assessor
2
Why are health effects relevant?

• Because
• a) they are so convincing
• YET
• b) They are not centre-stage

3
Health impacts of fuel poverty
What are they?
Why are they important?
How can they contribute to the current threats to
Fuel Poverty strategy in NI?
4
Deaths linked to cold in NI
(NISRA, 2007)
The decrease is likely to be linked to measures
addressing fuel poverty
5
Fuel poverty-related deaths are only the tip of
this iceberg. Many additional health
effects may accrue from tackling fuel poverty.
Deaths
Other health risks
6

• Additional health effects of Fuel Poverty are not
  really established yet
• Since 1936 only 8 published studies
• of non-fatal impacts
• None were thorough or well-designed

7

• We SHOULD know more soon
• 14 ongoing studies of Warm Front and health
  effects
• DEFRA 1M Welsh Assembly

8
Impacts of fuel poverty on physical health

• Improvements to physical health among
• senior citizens people with disabilities
  children

9
Physical health effects of tackling fuel poverty
among children
Less Respiratory disease
Allergy (2-fold reduction)
(4-fold reduction)
Damp/condensation Tobacco Smoke
Dust mites VOCs
Dung/Armoy pre-intervention 64 of homes had a
child with asthma
These positive health effects have lifelong
benefits for children
Plus
10

• Fewer days off
• school

• Homework done
• in a quiet bedroom

Researchers anticipate educational benefits too
11
Effects on children a powerful result

• Life-span effects
• Effects that extend beyond health
• Health multiplier effects
• 11 6

12
Impacts of fuel poverty on mental health
usually adults

• Positive benefits reported in 7of 8 studies
• Mental health benefits are what participants
  describe most
• They emerge quicker
• May become the biggest and best impact
• in the long-term

13
Mental health benefits for adults
Less stress
Fewer financial worries. NZ study 23 lower
fuel bills Dung./Armagh 32
Reduced noise pollution external and internal
Better domestic relationships
Improved sense of wellbeing. NZ 7-fold
Increase
Conclude from this A little goes a long way
Better social life/community engagement
14
Dungannon and Armagh Health Action Zone
Residents satisfaction with their Home To
My home in winter
Before After
1
10
1
10
My home in summer
Before After
1
10
10
1
15
Dungannon and Armagh Study the overall benefits
o
(Shortt Rugkasa, 2007)

• Homes were made energy efficient
• People saved 360 on fuel in the first year
• Many people also increased income from benefit
  entitlement
• There were fewer reports of illness
• People were more satisfied with household
  temperature

EVERY REASON TO LINK ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
ISSUES AND PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES
1 1 6
16
Forthcoming Health Impact Assessments.The likely
outcome?
17
Strategy chasing a runaway train?But bear in
mind

• Those excluded will experience even greater risk
  especially to mental health.
• Harder to reach groups carry biggest gains to
  cost-effectiveness
• There are always new ideas

18
Health more centre-stage?
M
19
Doctors may be an underutilised resource