As colder weather arrives, housing conditions become particularly important for our health. Girostudi investigates how the environment and living conditions influence people’s well-being across the Girona region.
When we think about the factors that affect our health, diet, physical activity and access to healthcare often come to mind. Yet another important influence on our everyday lives is the condition of the homes we live in.
As temperatures fall, this connection becomes particularly clear. Living in a well-insulated home with a comfortable indoor temperature is very different from living in a property affected by damp, draughts or difficulties keeping warm during winter.
Indoor temperature is also a public health issue
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that prolonged exposure to low temperatures inside homes can have consequences for health, particularly in relation to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
In its housing and health guidelines, the WHO identifies 18°C as a minimum reference indoor temperature during colder periods for the general population. However, more vulnerable groups, including children, older people and those with certain chronic health conditions, may require higher temperatures.
Thermal insulation, adequate ventilation and proper maintenance of heating systems also play an important role in creating a healthy home environment.
When keeping a home warm becomes a challenge
Having suitable housing does not depend solely on the physical condition of a property. A household’s financial circumstances also affect its ability to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
According to the 2025 Survey on Living Conditions published by Idescat, almost one in six people aged 16 and over in Catalonia (16.7%) reported that they could not afford to keep their homes at an adequate temperature.
This figure reflects the financial difficulties some households face in maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature, particularly during the colder months. It is one of the indicators associated with energy poverty, a social determinant that can affect people’s health and well-being.
Difficulties paying heating bills, poor building maintenance and inadequate insulation can contribute to inequalities that go far beyond household comfort.
These conditions may also vary depending on geographical location, housing type and the socioeconomic characteristics of the population.
What can Girostudi contribute?
One of the aims of Girostudi, a pioneering locally focused public health research project promoted by the Diputació de Girona (Girona Provincial Council) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia), is to understand how living conditions and the environment are related to people’s health.
To achieve this, the study collects information on households and housing, financial circumstances, the environment, everyday habits and health status.
By following participants over ten years, Girostudi will be able to examine how these factors evolve and explore their potential relationships with health, while taking into account the geographical diversity of the Girona region.
Locally generated data is essential to understanding the population’s real needs and helping to inform public policies better suited to each area.
Because understanding health also means understanding how we live. And that begins, among many other places, in our own homes.
