A recent study underscores the profound impact of persistent electricity shortages on the mental health of individuals residing in the Gaza Strip. Researchers have revealed that extended periods without access to electricity are contributing to higher levels of anxiety and depression among the population.
The study, led by the University of Birmingham and published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry, sheds light on the alarming mental health repercussions of chronic electricity shortages in the region. The Gaza Strip, struggling with severe power deficits, witnessed an average of 11 hours of daily power outages in 2021.
Surveying 350 families residing in the Gaza Strip, where 81% endured intermittent access to electricity, the international research team uncovered distressing findings. A staggering 93% of participants reported experiencing moderate to severe anxiety—a stark contrast to the 6% prevalence of anxiety in the general Palestinian population. Additionally, 44% of individuals grappled with moderate to severe depression, in stark contrast to the 5.6% depression rate in the broader population.
Co-author Raya AL-Dadah of the University of Birmingham emphasized, “We found that electricity issues, especially when combined with other stress factors associated with living in Gaza, lead to serious mental health concerns.” Urgent attention is called for, as the study underscores the critical need to establish sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy solutions for the betterment of both short-term and long-term health and community development.
The research also underscores the broader implications of energy access and poverty on public health in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMICs). In the blockaded Gaza Strip, home to nearly two million people, including 1.4 million refugees, the persistent electricity crisis has persisted for decades, with only 38% of electricity needs met. This dire situation has pushed the region to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, affecting health, water access, and sanitation, according to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
With over half of Gaza’s population enduring a lack of electricity, clean water, and cooking gas, the study underscores the multifaceted challenges that this energy crisis imposes on the well-being of the local population. Notably, education suffers due to electricity shortages, particularly during the winter months, with 83.5% of Gaza’s students reporting compromised studies due to power interruptions and gas shortages. The findings underscore the urgency of addressing the energy crisis and its far-reaching consequences on the health and well-being of Gaza’s inhabitants.
