The relationship between cooking fuel and health status from the perspective of income heterogeneity: Evidence from China

Abstract

The health risks of cooking with solid fuels are widespread, especially among low-income people. Therefore, we decide to explore the impact of cooking fuel on the physical and mental health of Chinese residents and the heterogeneity of effects across income groups. This study estimates the potential relationship between household air pollution and health status by using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Household air pollution is measured by different types of cooking fuels, and health status is evaluated from the perspective of respondents’ self-ratings of health, mental health, and interviewer-assessed health. The data comprises more than 100,000 samples between 2012 and 2019. We employ a Hierarchical Linear Model to infer the potential impact of household air pollution caused by cooking fuel on residents’ health. After adjusting control variables, we find cleaner cooking fuels such as solar energy and biogas are more conducive to residents’ health status. Our findings manifest that cleaner fuels and lower exposure to household air pollution are better for residents’ health. Low-income households are more likely to be affected by household air pollution. This study emphasizes the consequence of the potential health effects on residents due to household air pollution from cooking fuels and the uneven distribution of those effects. It is recommended that such factors as household air pollution risks, health, and environmental fairness and justice should be considered in the policy formulation process.