Determinants of household cooking fuels and their impact on women's health in rural Pakistan

Imran M., ÖZÇATALBAŞ O.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH, vol.27, no.19, pp.23849-23861, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 27 Issue: 19
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s11356-020-08701-8
  • Journal Name: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, IBZ Online, ABI/INFORM, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Environment Index, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.23849-23861
  • Keywords: Rural energy, Women health, Biomass, Indoor air pollution, Pakistan, ENERGY USE, CHOICE, URBAN, ELECTRIFICATION, PREFERENCES, ADAPTATION, PERCEPTION, COOKSTOVES, EMPLOYMENT, COUNTRIES
  • Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Use of biomass with traditional cooking technologies causes indoor air pollution and is responsible for 3.5 million deaths globally. Women play the main role in biomass-based energy systems in developing countries. The current study attempted to estimate determinants of household cooking fuels and impacts of fuels on women's health in rural Pakistan. The results of the study show that 75.5% of the households in the study area use fuelwood, 44.4% use LPG, and 27.9% use crop residues for cooking. Households with LPG spend on average 3.02 h/day for cooking while households with biomass spend almost 4 h. Health expenditures of households using biomass are almost 25% higher than those using LPG. Use of traditional biomass with traditional devices was found to be having negative impacts on rural women's life. Household composition, education, income, access to electricity and LPG, and distance from the market were found to be significant factors affecting the choice of fuels for cooking. Clean energy and technologies and empowerment through education and awareness will help minimize the negative impacts of biomass fuels on women.