ESRI Research Bulletin

Household energy poverty and children’s health

ESRI Research Bulletin Articles provide short summaries of work published by ESRI researchers and overviews of thematic areas covered by ESRI programmes of research. Bulletin Articles are designed to be easily accessible to a wide readership. A reference or references to the full publication is included at the start of each Bulletin article.

December 1, 2020
Attachment Size
Download PDF 593.56 KB

This research investigates the link between household energy poverty and children’s health in Ireland. For an older Child Cohort in 2007/8, 5% of households were energy-poor, rising to 7% by 2016. In a younger Infant Cohort, households reporting energy poverty increased from 8.3% in 2008/9 to 12.7% in 2013. Energy poverty was associated with a greater likelihood of respiratory illness and wheezing in the Infant Cohort, and a lower likelihood of the child being rated as ‘very healthy’ by their primary caregiver.