Energy poverty and health: Trends in the European Union before and during the economic crisis, 2007-2016

The aim of this study is to analyse the time trends in the European Union (EU) before and during the economic crisis in 1) the energy poverty (EP) prevalence; 2) the association between EP and health and 3) the impact of EP on health. We analyse trends among women and men in two EU macro regions, defined by a novel index of structural vulnerability to EP. The study shows how EP and its impact on health worsened during the economic crisis and identifies groups at higher risk such as women and people living in Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, which have been found to be countries with higher structural vulnerability to EP.

Automated summary

This study aims to analyze time trends in the European Union regarding energy poverty prevalence, the association between energy poverty and health, and the impact of energy poverty on health. The research shows that energy poverty and its impact on health worsened during the economic crisis, particularly for women and people living in Mediterranean and Eastern European countries with higher vulnerability to energy poverty.