Assessing the impact of clean cooking energy on mental health in Indonesia

The health consequences of household air pollution caused by the use of solid cooking fuels are a significant priority in the worldwide endeavor to promote a shift towards clean energy. In comparison to other developing countries, the transition to clean cooking energy in Indonesia is the most significant. So far, no study has attempted to quantify the causal effects of clean cooking energy adoption on mental health in Indonesia. By using Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) data and complementary estimation techniques, such as Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Difference (PSM-DID), this study attempts to close a research gap by analyzing the effects of the cooking energy transition on mental health in Indonesia. These techniques help to overcome biases resulting from selection mechanisms that might make it difficult to identify causal effects. The findings revealed that individuals who converted to clean cooking energy had lower Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) scores and a 2.9% lower risk of having depressed symptoms. Women and those who live in urban were more affected than other groups, with a 3.5% and 5.2% decrease in the likelihood of depressive symptoms. These results imply that switching cooking energy sources can might improve individual's mental health. This study also addresses the potential channeling of the clean cooking energy transition and mental health, using physical health status and social participation.