Jorge Martins, Lda

MORRE-SE DE FRIO EM PORTUGAL
	According to the study Housing Conditions and Self-Reported Health: A Cross-European Analysis at the University of Dublin, which analyzed compared 14 European countries, Portugal is one of EU countries where most people die of cold.

According to the Directorate General of Health, poor indoor air quality and lack of thermal protection of homes with medical results in low economic weight to the country. International experts argue that to solve this problem, we need to improve the thermal protection from cold homes to increase public investment in health care and improve the socioeconomic conditions of the population.

The investigation, which was published in 2003, analyzed 10 years the mortality rate from 14 countries, crossing the data with information on environmental factors, lifestyle, health care and spending in this area, social inequalities and energy efficiency / house insulation.

The work highlights one of the paradoxes of mortality in winter: "The highest mortality rates usually occur in countries where winter is less severe and where there should be less potential / trend for cases of influenza and for influenza-related mortality". "Countries with cooler climates tend to have low thermal efficiency in homes and is therefore more difficult to maintain these homes warm when winter arrives," says research. "This is particularly the case in Portugal, Spain and Ireland, where winter temperatures are comparatively more temperate and the rates of excess mortality in this season too high," he concludes.

Research also shows "exemplary levels" within the thermal efficiency of homes in countries with severe winter like Finland and Sweden where all the rooms have double glazing and thermal protection in roofs, walls and floors.

Upon publication of the study, only 6% of homes in Portugal had the heat shield on the walls and roof and only 3% had double glazing.

Source: Agência Lusa