UC San Diego

BackgroundClimate change poses a significant threat to public health. The purpose of this research was to learn how healthcare providers perceive the relationship between climate change and health, and their role in mitigating this impact.

MethodsThe CHANT Survey was modified in Qualtrics and distributed to healthcare providers in the UC San Diego Health System via email distribution lists. Convenience sampling was used, resulting in 191 participants. R studio was used for statistical analysis. Linear regression models were used to compare the primary variables of interest: familiarity, motivation, optimism, action, and communication. The models were adjusted for gender and job role.

Results A clear 87%(n=164) of providers from the sample were concerned about the impact of climate change on health, but 38% (n=71) were not familiar with the impact that health systems have on the environment. Most providers in the sample (62%) stated that they wanted to change their practices to reduce greenhouse gas contributions. There were significant relationships between familiarity, concern, motivation, and communication(p<0.05), but these were not significant when adjusted for job role. About 80% of respondents were pessimistic that humans will prepare for the impacts of climate change and prevent further climate change.

Conclusion Healthcare providers are motivated to improve the sustainability of their workplaces but need more education about climate change and health, and the impacts of healthcare on carbon emissions and global warming. Providers can use their position in the community to educate patients about the health impacts of climate change and advocate for sustainable policies.