Bronchitis, arthritis, depression: when fuel poverty sickens

Poor housing sickens : a study of the Abbé Pierre Foundation , the precarious energy , that is to say people that spend more than 10 % of their income to pay their bills energy , more problems health of the general population . Led by CREAI -ORS ( Regional Centre for Childhood and Adolescence Not suitable - Health Observatory ) Languedoc- Roussillon on populations of the Hérault and the Douai region , the study compared a group of people at risk of fuel poverty and an unexposed group. In total , 362 homes and 750 people participated in the survey.

More common diseases

Headaches , chronic respiratory problems (bronchitis ) , musculoskeletal (osteoarthritis ) or neurological symptoms ( depression) appear more frequently in the group of people exposed , even after taking into account the age , the level of poverty and smoking. Similarly, the study of acute conditions shows greater sensitivity to winter conditions, such as colds and sore throats, flu, or gastroenteritis, with more frequent symptoms ( wheezing , asthma attacks , runny nose or eye irritation ) .

Housing in poorer condition

Finally, people exposed to fuel poverty have a perception of their less healthy than those who are not exposed , the study notes. They are also more likely to live below the poverty line, and to have older homes , less ventilated and insulated. Electric heaters are the primary heating people in fuel poverty , which are more likely not to heat some rooms such as bedrooms, finding it too cold at home in winter and their energy bill is too large relative to their resources .