Influence of cooking energy for people’s health in rural China: Based on CLDS data in 2014

Abstract

Using clean cooking energy is better for people’s health than solid fuel. Studies have focused on the impact of energy types on objective health, but less on subjective or mental health. Based on the 2014 China labor force dynamic survey, this paper found that cooking with clean energy was significantly better for self-assessment of health than solid fuel. (1) For people who use clean energy cooking, the odds of general self-assessment as healthy, physically painless, mental self-assessment as healthy and no physical health impact on work or life were respectively 1.43 times, 1.43 times, 1.34 times, and 1.3 times that of those who use solid fuel. (2) The type of cooking energy has a deeper influence on villagers’ body health than on the psychological level. When other factors remain the same, the type of cooking fuel has nothing to do with whether emotional problems affect work or life. (3) Cooking energy type has a health spillover effect, which has an impact on the health of both the cook and people who do not cook, but the impact on the cook is more extensive. (4) The smoother the smoke in the cooking or the kitchen is open, or the kitchen has a range hood or exhaust fan, the more it is good for the health of the cook. But kitchen type does not affect people who do not cook. Actively promoting clean energy use in cooking, reducing the amount of cooking lampblack, and improving the condition of the kitchen are all important ways for health assessment.