Submission ID 78198
| Code | OG-2-5 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Oral |
| Will the presenter be a: | Resident |
| Title | Climate Change Knowledge and Behaviour Among Health Professional Faculty and Learners |
| Background/Purpose | Deteriorating planetary health is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Health care delivery is responsible for nearly 5% of emissions globally and medical professionals have an important role in mitigation. This study explored the knowledge, behaviours and anticipated barriers of medical faculty and learners to address climate change at individual and institutional levels. |
| Methods | Planetary health conference registrants completed a questionnaire about climate change action. Barriers to change were explored using the consolidated framework for implementation research. Quantitative survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis. |
| Results | Respondents (n=33) were physician faculty (28%), health professional learners (22%), and other academic roles. Almost all (95%) participants agreed that climate change presents a threat to human physical and mental health. Participants reported recycling waste materials (74%), using paperless systems (61%), and voting for politicians with aggressive climate change platforms (48%). Most (77%) plan to further reduce carbon emissions over the next 12 months. At the institutional level, only 38% agreed that their department views climate change as a priority. The most cited reasons for a lack of individual and institutional engagement were poor awareness/knowledge and uncertainty about how to take meaningful action. |
| Discussion | Despite recognition of the need to address climate change, some participants reported limited personal and institutional action. Given the perceived lack of awareness and knowledge of planetary health among health professionals, there is an urgent need for multifaceted interventions, including education, to raise awareness of actionable items and address motivation for change. |
| Keyword 1 | Planetary health |
| Keyword 2 | Continuing Professional Development |
| Keyword 3 | Knowledge translation |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (faculty development, CME) |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Planetary Health |
| Authors | Alex Whynot Desmond Leddin Stephen Miller Tanya Hill Stephen Miller |
