Today’s guest post is by Farzana Khan, MPH, a project coordinator with Columbia University’s Energy, Equity, Housing and Health Program.

Many U.S. households struggle to keep the lights on — as well as their air-conditioning, kitchen appliances and other everyday devices that require electricity.

At least 1 in every 10 Americans experiences energy insecurity, which means they’re unable to afford or have access to the basic energy their household needs. An additional 4 in 10 people are at risk. That means that 1 in 2 households around the country face challenges accessing affordable and reliable lighting, cooling, heating and more, a situation that is made worse by rising utility costs and rising temperatures.

To help leaders support the millions of households that are energy insecure, APHA and Columbia University have released a new resource on the topic: “Understanding Energy Insecurity in the Field: A Toolkit for Community Members, Researchers and Local Practitioners.”

Energy insecurity manifests in unpaid utility bills; risk of disconnection; thermal discomfort; poor housing conditions, such as drafts and inefficient appliances; and sometimes risky coping strategies, such as using an oven to heat the home or going without air conditioning to manage costs.

Low-income communities, people of color, renters and households with children and seniors are disproportionately affected by energy insecurity. They face high energy burdens and may live in substandard housing conditions that exacerbate the issue of energy insecurity.

The new toolkit offers practical suggestions on how community members, researchers and local practitioners can better understand energy security in their communities. It features concrete resources to conduct localized research, including a survey instrument and focus group guide, along with practical tools and strategies for effective dissemination.

Originally developed to support APHA’s Smart Surfaces initiative, which works to help cities withstand the health effects of climate change, the toolkit holds broader value in bringing local evidence to action.

“One benefit of the guide to the public health community is that the toolkit aligns with broader environmental justice efforts by advocating for sustainable and affordable energy solutions,” Cheryl Gaddis, DrPH, MPH, CHES, chair and associate professor of practice and director of the Master of Public Health Program at Mercer University, who led a focus group using the tool. “It serves as an excellent resource for advancing public health and social equity in the area of energy justice.”

Shweta Arya, senior project manager for Smart Surfaces at APHA’s Center for Climate, Health and Equity, contributed to this article.

Photo by David Petrus Ibers, courtesy iStockphoto