청주시 취약계층 독거노인 가구의 에너지비용 부담 경험과 인식

Energy cost increase affects energy cost burden of households, and households with limited resources are influenced even worse. Especially, the elderly are far more vulnerable to negative indoor conditions such as cold, heat, extreme temperature changes, humidity. This study was aimed to explore perception and experiences of energy costs burdens of the elderly living alone in Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, in order to make suggestions to improve their energy welfare condotion. During February and March 2018, a questionnaire survey was conducted to the elderly single-person households in Cheongju and 219 useable responses were analyzed statistically. Major findings were as follows. (1) Average income to energy cost ratio in winter time was 54.5%. (2) 89.0% were found to be 'winter-time energy poor' to spend 10% or more of their income for energy costs. (3) Older elderly, the elderly living in rural area or singlefamily detached homes, and those who were not beneficiaries of any support program of basic pension were found to have a greater chance to be winter-time energy poor than other respondents. (4) More than 83% were found to have perceived energy cost burdens in recent three years, and 69.6% had experiences to reduce essential spendings and 26.2% had to borrow money to afford energy bills.