Impact of energy poverty on cognitive and mental health among middle-aged and older adults in China

Abstract

Energy poverty (EPOV) is considered to have a significant impact on health and has become an essential issue on the policy agenda in most countries, especially those with rapid aging. Cognitive and mental health (CMH) for aging well is just as important a component as physical health, but the literature on the effect of EPOV on CMH is still rare. Using 2014–2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study explores EPOV and its impacts on CMH among middle-aged and older adults. Six measures based on energy affordability are constructed to capture the state of EPOV. The results show that the proportion of middle-aged and older adults living in EPOV in China ranges from 24.3% to 27.8%, according to different measures. Applying a two-way FE model, the estimates show that overall, the impact of EPOV on CMH is significantly negative. Furthermore, physical health is an important channel through which EPOV affects CMH. Although EPOV has a significant adverse effect on the CMH of both middle-aged and older adults, it harms the latter more.