ENERGY INSECURITY AND ITS HEALTH IMPACTS: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

Energy insecurity, the lack of reliable, affordable, and safe energy, represents a growing but underexamined determinant of public health. This paper offers a multi-dimensional analysis of how energy insecurity affects health outcomes through interrelated physical, economic, and behavioral pathways. Drawing on interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks and a narrative synthesis of literature from both high-income and low- and middle-income countries, the study reveals that energy insecurity contributes to a wide spectrum of adverse outcomes, including respiratory illnesses, mental health issues, increased hospitalization rates, and social isolation. These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, reinforcing structural inequalities in health and energy access. By applying a systems thinking perspective, the paper highlights the cyclical nature of energy-related deprivation and its entanglement with housing conditions, economic hardship, and psychosocial stress. The findings underscore the need to reframe energy access as a critical component of health equity and advocate for integrated, justice-centered policies that bridge the divide between the energy and health sectors. The study concludes by calling for greater empirical research, particularly in underrepresented regions, and the incorporation of health-focused strategies into energy transition planning.