Objective: Despite Canada being an important energy producer, not all Canadians can access or afford adequate levels of energy services at home to meet their needs, maintain healthy indoor temperatures, and live a decent life—a situation known as energy poverty. Depending on the measure, 6–19% of Canadian households face energy poverty. Health risks associated with energy poverty are documented in countries with milder climates. This study explores, for the first time in the Canadian context, the association between energy poverty and health. Methods: Cross-sectional data are from the 2018 Canadian Housing Survey. Analyses are conducted on a sample weighted to represent 14 million Canadian households. The associations between expenditure-based and self-reported measures of energy poverty and self-rated general and mental health were assessed using logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounding variables. Results: The odds of rating one’s general (OR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.29, 1.70) and mental (OR: 1.21; 1.04, 1.41) health as poor are significantly higher for Canadian adults in households with a high share of energy expenditure to income. The likelihood of poor general and mental health was significantly higher for those dissatisfied with the energy efficiency of their dwelling, and with their ability to maintain a comfortable temperature both in the winter and in the summer. Conclusion: Exposure to energy poverty is associated with significantly increased likelihood of poor general and mental health. Given the high proportion of Canadian households facing energy poverty, with demonstrated implications for population health, tackling energy poverty is essential for an equitable energy transition and for climate resilience.

Despite abundant evidence that socio-economic status (SES) is a fundamental determinant of health, there is a dearth of research examining association between SES, measured at the individual and community levels, and cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity among indigenous populations. To examine the influence of individual-level and community-level SES on systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Greenlandic Inuit. Multilevel analysis of cross-sectional data from the Inuit Health in Transition – Greenland Survey, to which 3,108 Greenlandic Inuit aged 18 years and older participated. Blood pressure is measured using an automatic device, according to standardized protocol. Individual SES is measured by education. Community socio-economic conditions are measured using combined information on average disposable household income and settlement type. Education was not significantly associated with blood pressure. There was an inverse U-shape association between community socio-economic conditions and blood pressure with significantly lower SBP and DBP among participants living in remote traditional villages characterized by lower average disposable household income and in affluent more urbanized towns. Sex-stratified analyses demonstrate the salience of community conditions for men. The association observed between blood pressure and community-level socio-economic conditions suggests that public health and social policies, programmes and interventions aiming to improve living conditions might improve cardiovascular health in Greenland. Studies are required to further examine social gradients in cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity among indigenous populations using different measures of SES.

This study examines the relationship between living in overcrowded conditions and sense of home among 289 Inuit, the Indigenous population living in the Canadian Arctic. This study was conducted in Nunavut and Nunavik, two of the four Inuit regions in Canada, where the prevalence of overcrowding is six times the national average. Sense of home was derived from the conceptual notion of ontological security, where home is defined as a symbolic place for making claims of cultural identity and belonging. Sense of home was operationalized according to participants’ perception of their home in relation to space, identity, control, privacy, satisfaction, relationships, location, and security. Overcrowding was negatively associated with sense of home. In overcrowded dwellings, fewer women reported positive perceptions of their house with regards to sufficient space, feeling of identity, satisfaction and domestic relationships. Relational and cultural aspects of housing resonate with sense of home and may be particularly interesting to examine as potential mechanisms leading to individual and community wellbeing.

A better knowledge of the social determinants of health (SDH) promoting healthy ageing in Inuit communities is needed to adapt health and social policies and programs. This study aims to identify SDH associated with healthy ageing. Using the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (n = 850 Inuit aged ≥50 years), we created a holistic indicator including multiple dimensions of health and identified three groups of participants: those in 1) good 2) intermediate and 3) poor health. Sex and age-adjusted multinomial regression models were applied to assess the associations between this indicator and SDH measured at the individual, household and community scales. In comparison to APS respondents in the “Poor health” profile, those in the “Good health” profile were more likely to have a higher individual income, to participate in social activities, and to have stronger family ties in the community ; those in the “Intermediate health” profile were less likely be in a relationship, more likely to live in better housing conditions, and in better-off communities. Results indicate that SDH associated with the “Good health” profile related more to social relationships and participation, those associated with the “Intermediate health” profile related more to economic and material conditions.