Multiple aspects of energy poverty are associated with lower mental health-related quality of life: A modelling study in three peri-urban African communities
Matthew Shupler, Miranda Baame, Emily Nix, Theresa Tawiah, Federico Lorenzetti, Jason Saah, Rachel Anderson de Cuevas, Edna Sang, Elisa Puzzolo, Judith Mangeni, Emmanuel Betang, Mieks Twumasi, Seeba Amenga‐Etego, Reginald Quansah, Bertrand Mbatchou, Diana Menya, Kwaku Poku Asante, Daniel Pope
Abstract
Objective: Over 900 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) live in energy poverty, relying on cooking polluting fuels (e.g. wood, charcoal). The association between energy poverty and mental/physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among women in SSA, who are primarily tasked with cooking, is unknown. Methods: Females (n = 1,150) from peri-urban Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana were surveyed on their household energy use and mental/physical health status using the standardized Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Random effects linear regression linked household energy factors to SF-36 mental (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) scores. A binary outcome of 'likely depression' was derived based on participants' MCS score. Random effects Poisson regression with robust error variance assessed the relationship between household energy factors and odds of likely depression. Results: = 0.32), women injured during cooking fuel collection had significantly lower (-4.8 95%CI:[-8.1,-1.4]) PCS scores. Conclusion: The burden of energy poverty in peri-urban communities in SSA extends beyond physical conditions. Experiencing cooking-related burns, using polluting fuels for cooking or lighting and spending more time cooking are potential risk factors for lower mental HRQoL among women.