Understanding energy hardship and health among vulnerable populations: a secondary analysis of a scoping review

Abstract

Energy hardship, also known as energy or fuel poverty, is a growing global concern that affects the ability of individuals and households to access or afford sufficient energy for essential daily needs. The health implications of energy hardship are profound, ranging from increased physical illness and mortality to adverse mental health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. This paper presents a secondary, targeted analysis of an existing scoping review on energy hardship and health, conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. The original review identified 90 relevant publications from a search of 12 databases. For the secondary analysis, we examined the subset of 23 studies that addressed vulnerable groups, including women, older adults, people with disabilities, children, and migrants, in order to identify what is known and where research gaps remain. While the main focus is this subset, key findings from the full dataset (n = 90), such as Eurocentric bias in the literature, are also discussed, as they bear directly on the representation of vulnerability. The analysis revealed an Eurocentric focus in current research and a predominance of quantitative, secondary data analyses. Vulnerable groups, such as women, people with disabilities, children, older adults, and migrants, face disproportionate health risks due to energy hardship. However, these populations remain underrepresented in the literature. There is a need for a more inclusive, intersectional, and geographically diverse research agenda to fully understand the health impacts of energy hardship. Greater focus on underrepresented populations and qualitative insights is essential for informing equitable policy and health interventions.