Impacts Of Coping Strategies For Electricity Load Shedding Among University Students

Multicultural Education Volume 11, Issue 10, 2025 _______________________________________________________________________________________ 54 Impacts Of Coping Strategies For Electricity Load Shedding Among University Students Anwar Ali Malik, Manthar Ali Mallah, Parveen Akhtar Memon, Ali Asghar Mirjat, KhalidaNaz Memon Article Info Abstract Article History Received: July 20,2025 Introduction: Electricity crisis is growing day by day that affects our routine life. The purpose of the study was to assess the impacts and coping strategies of electricity load shedding that was adopted by university students. METHODOLOGY: The descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 384 university students during campus timings at the University of Sindh Jamshoro. The level of the confidence interval was set 95% with 0.05% of margin error. Convenient sampling technique was used. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 21.7 years, ± 2.65. The findings of the present study showed 78% of students felt physically, mentally and emotionally ill due to load shedding. Our study revealed 71.61% of students who felt anxiety due to load shedding. A study result showed 41% of the respondents who became angry and caused physical violence. Present study also identified 77% of the participant’s sleep was disturbed. A study indicated 76.56% of student’s punctuality was affected. Our study inquired 75% student’s grades affected and 87% students could not maintain concentration during lectures. Walking, physical exercise and listening to music were identified as coping strategies. CONCLUSION: Electricity load shedding badly affects the overall performance of students including their punctuality, concentration during classes, and preparation of assignments, examinations, and results. It needs further analytic studies. Accepted: October 26,2025 Keywords : Load Shedding, Coping Strategies, Physical Illnesses, And Mental Illnesses DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17449666 Introduction Pakistan is facing extreme shortage of electricity presenting one of the most serious problem of energy crises.1.2causing widespread load shedding that has given rise to social and economic problems and disturbed students learning and led to stress.3Students are unable to submit assignments on time which affect their results.4Load shedding not only affects the students but also disturbs ordinary people‟s routine work.5Further affecting their decision making about studies..6 Moreover, students are unable to entertain several awareness and educational programs on media also.7Sleep deprivation has been the major health issue which leads to irritability, boredom and stress..8resulting in poor performance.9and wastage of study time.10 Students protest against electric power companies for not solving crisis.11Educational institutes are unable to conduct classes smoothly, which loose students „interest in studies12.13shortage of electricity affects the availability of water as a result students are unable to maintain personal hygiene leading to mental and physical discomfort.14 Healthy coping strategies play important role in decreasing anxiety. These include physical activity, taking nutritious food and regularly scheduled meals, consuming less caffeine, muscle relaxation exercises such as swimming, yoga and walking, sharing views with the supportive fellows, listening to music, and positive thinking, which are assumed helpful in coping of any type of anxiety and stress.15 On the other hand poor coping mechanismsmay lead to unhealthy activities and risky behavior such as smoking, drinking, and lack of exercises.16And have been associated with low academic performance.17 Therefore, the purpose ofthis has been to explore the effects of load shedding on academic performance and health of students and their coping strategies OBJECTIVES  To assess the impacts of electricity load shedding among students.  To identify the coping strategies adopted by students.  Literature Review Load shedding is the interruptions of electricity power for certain period because the demand is greater than the supply.18Electricity is being widely used to operate common appliances.19But shortage of electricity has negative impact on achievements and career.20Load shedding in summer is the main culprit for increasing 55 difficulties in studies.21Online studies are most affected.9 student‟s punctuality and expected results are badly affected.22 a study reported that hostlers have been more affected and more than fifty percent having no alternate source of energyand suggested that government should decrease the load shedding hours.4A study showed impact on physical health such as sleep disturbance, ineffective learning, unfinished and slowdown of tasks.23 Another study presentedthat load shedding caused 58% sleep deprivation, stress was (73.68%), and studies (73.68%), exams (68.42%), and load shedding were (58%).24,25 Exercise is helpful to reduce anxiety, anger and depression. In addition, it normalizes pulse and blood pressure.26. Through physical activity, people and students can keep them physically and mentally energetic and can cope their stresses.27 Social interaction proves effective way of managing stress.15-28. Effect of music on anxiety is similar the results of getting a massage.29Electricity load shedding has damaged basic education system. Many students have left schools due to this curse.30 Various sources are responsible for electricity crisis in Pakistan that not only affect students but all people in all fields. Load shedding is big barrier in the development of country. Methods And Materials Study design A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 university students. Data collection method At first, permission was taken from the concerned university administration and written consent form was signed from students. A structured questionnaire was explained to them and that was filled by the students. The raw data were analyzed and edited in MS Excel and then entered in SPSS version 16. Frequency and percentage were calculated for measuring the impact of load shedding and chi-square test was used where it needed. A pvalue of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical consideration Approval of the study was obtained from concerned authorities. Informed written consent was taken from the participants. The students were informed that they are not compelled to participate in the study and they were free to withdraw from the study even after signing the consent form. Confidentiality was maintained Study setting This study was carried out on male and female students during campus timings at the University of Sindh Jamshoro. Different teaching departments were approached conveniently to get the responses from students regarding experiences, health, and unhealthy coping strategies at the time of load shedding. The University is currently working on the act of 1972 delivered for greater sovereignty and demonstration of educators. The development of the present Campus at Jamshoro, about 15 kilometers from Hyderabad on the right bank of River Indus and 150 kilometers from Karachi,.32 INCLUSION CRITERIA  Male and Female students. Having age group 19-43 years and those who were willing to participate in the study. EXCLUSION CRITERIA  Male and Female students under 19 years of age and greater than 43 years of age were excluded. And those who were not willing to participate in the study. RESULTS In this study 84.6% students were in age group 19-23 years and 15.4% students were in age group 24-28 Whereas 96.4% students were unmarried and 3.6% were married. Graph.1: Experience of load shedding 56 These proportions were significant at p value 0.05. Graph.2: Feeling of illnesses due to load shedding. These proportions were not significant at p value 0.13 Table.1: Effects of load shedding Characteristics( n = 384) Yes No P value Irritation and perspiration during classes 91.4% 8.6% 0.37 Problems in concentration during lectures 87.2 % 12.8% 0.04 Load shedding affecting punctuality 76.6% 23.4% 0.001 Grades and general results. 142(37%) 32(8.3%) 0.03 Study time 93(24.2%) 30(7.8%) 0.12 Exam preparation 39(10.2%) 22(5.7%) 0.22 Sleep disturbance 77% 23% 0.32 Feeling of anxiety 71.61% 28.39% 0.03 Students‟ concentration during lectures (87.2 %), punctuality (76.6%) results have been found significant at p value 0.05. Table.2: Load shedding and coping strategies Characteristics ( n = 384) Yes No P value Physical activity 26% 74% 0.35 Walked outside 44 % 56% 0.56 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% Yes No 87.20% 23.00% 0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00% Physically ill Mentally ill Emotionally ill Feeling no illness 18.00% 23.00% 37% 22% 57 Listened to music 63.3% 36.7% 0.001 Interaction with others to relieve anxiety 59% 41% 0.33 Expressed anger 41% 59% 0.54 Load shedding was being coped with physical activities (26%) followed by walking outside (44%) listening to music (63.3%), interactions with others to relieve anxiety (59%) and expression of anger (41%). DISCUSSION This study has assessed the impacts of load shedding and coping strategies in university students. The mean age of students was 21.7 years ± 2.65. Majority of students were single and adopted different coping strategies. In our study, majority of students have reported an extreme shortage of electricity. Another study with a sample of 320 regular campus university students showed that majority of students faced extreme load shedding. It was a very close with present study findings.4 In our study, load shedding during night time had caused more impact on students „performance and examination preparation and results having significant differences at 0.05 that is supported byanother study which also reported that most of the students were affected during night-time.4,33,34 In present study, most of students experienced load shedding was observed nine hours in 24 mostly in summer season hours badly disturbing studies and daily routine life which shown statistically significant association and P-value was 0.001 using chi-square test. This results is supportedby another study.35,36 In our study, students commonly felt headache, perspiration, dehydration, irritation, helpless, and restlessness, boring, suffocation, anger and stress. In another study conducted on students of university also reported the anxiety, nervousness, wet hands, increasing pulse rate, and indigestion.37 In present study, load shedding caused substantial anxiety among students( P = 0.03). Some studies also supported to our findings.25,37,38 In this study, students reported problems in concentration during lectures was statistically significant (P = 0.04). Some authors also reported difficulty in maintaining attention9,24 In our study, load shedding greatly disturbed the punctuality ( P = 0.001). Another study supported that electricity load shedding has also affected student‟s study plans.11 Sleep deprivation and load shedding were found statistically significant(P < 0.05) and supported by another which reported that load shedding as a cause of decreased sleep. The studyresults were significant and p-value was 0.001.Inadequatesleep due to load shedding had deteriorated students „health, students had to wait long hours for electricity to come to get sleep.24 In this study, less than half the students reportedphysical exercise Another study showed 60% respondents reported physical inactivity.39 In this study, 44% of students went outside for a walk at the time of load shedding. World Health Organization, it also recommends for adults 75 to 150 minutes of physical activity per week.27 In our study, more than half the students listened to music on mobile phone, FM radio or MP3 player at the time of load shedding which was healthy coping strategy and is confirmedby other study that music has relaxingeffects on mind of people and students with low anxiety.29 During load shedding students spent their time with other people and interacted with them which also helped them to reduce stress and is supported by studies.15,28 But students‟ also relieved stress by expressing anger, physical violence, which may result in disturbance in studies. Anotherstudy showed that violence may lead to unhealthy coping strategies and burst out theirstress on others.8 Students have suggested the government to install more power plants to compensate the electricity shortages. Furthermore WAPDA should remain sincere to their work and 8% recommended of producing light from coal reserves. Whereas in another study, 33% respondents told to produce electricity by using coal resources.13 provision of solar plates would be helpful. load shedding should be avoided at least during night time.35 There were some limitations. It was the short of time. Sample size was small and convenient sampling technique was used. Therefore, result cannot be generalized and lack of funding. CONCLUSIONS Majority of university‟s students suffered from worst load shedding which had badly affected their punctuality, assignments, self-study, competencies, performances, results and stress and anxiety. They faced physical and emotional problems and controlled them with healthy and unhealthy coping strategies Funding The Authors revived no financial support for the study. Conflicts of interest The authors report no conflict of interest. 58 References Ansari A. K, Unar I. N. Sustainable development indicators for energy in Pakistan. Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development. 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Perspectives in public health. 2016 Sep 5:1757913916666875 Author Information Anwar Ali Malik Department of Public Health and Social sciences,Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Sindh-76090, Pakistan Parveen Akhtar Memon Department of Public Health and Social sciences,Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Sindh-76090, Pakistan Khalida Naz Memon Department of Public Health and Social sciences,Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Sindh-76090, Pakistan Manthar Ali Mallah Department of Public Health and Social sciences,Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Sindh-76090, Pakistan Ali Asghar Mirjat Department of Public Health and Social sciences,Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Sindh-76090, Pakistan