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. 2024 Dec 24:18:11786302241310031.
doi: 10.1177/11786302241310031. eCollection 2024.

Insight into the Environmental Health Consciousness of Medical Students Regarding the Perceived Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health

Yumna Shariff  1 , Muneeba Mushtaq  2 , Syed Muhammad Abdullah Shah  2 , Hurais Malik  2 , Muhammad Abdullah  3 , Muhammad Usama Jamil  4 , Abdul Rehman  2 , Muhammad Hudaib  2 , Manahil  5 , Ahmad Umais Ahad  5 , Sanila Mughal  6 , Mohammed Mahmmoud Fadelallah Eljack  7
Affiliations

Insight into the Environmental Health Consciousness of Medical Students Regarding the Perceived Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health

Yumna Shariff et al. Environ Health Insights. .

Abstract

Climate change represents an unprecedented global public health crisis with extensive and profound implications. The Lancet Commission identified it as the foremost health challenge of the 21st century. In 2015, air pollution alone caused approximately 9 million premature deaths worldwide. Climate change also exacerbates extreme weather events, displacement, mental health disorders, disease vectors, food insecurity, and malnutrition, particularly impacting vulnerable developing countries like Pakistan due to its agricultural reliance, diverse topography, and limited resources. This study assesses Pakistani medical students' perceptions of climate change's health impacts. Conducted in February 2024, a cross-sectional survey of 632 students using a standardized questionnaire was employed via online Google Forms. The questionnaire was validated and an Exploratory Factor Analysis identified seven subscales of environmental health consciousness. The mean participant age was 21.17 years, with a balanced gender distribution. Students showed high environmental health consciousness (Mean = 35.6, SD = 5.2), with 88% attributing climate change to human activities and 89.1% anticipating serious future health impacts. Significant concerns included air quality-related illness (91%), water-availability illness (86%), healthcare disruption (85%), cold-related illness (83%), and flooding-related displacement (87%). Psychological impacts were acknowledged by 68%. Household income, age, and gender were significant predictors. These results highlight the need for integrating climate change and health education into medical curricula to prepare future healthcare providers.

Keywords: Climate change; global health; medical education; medical students; perception; public health.

Plain language summary

Aims and purpose of the research: This study aimed to understand how medical students in Pakistan perceive climate change and its impact on human health. With climate change posing a significant threat to public health, it’s crucial to assess how future healthcare professionals view this issue. Background of the research: Climate change has become a pressing global concern, affecting various aspects of life, including health. Studies have shown that extreme weather events and environmental changes “can” lead to health problems. Pakistan, in particular, faces challenges due to its susceptibility to climate change and limited resources to tackle these issues. Methods and research design: The study involved a survey of 632 medical students from different academic years in Pakistan. Data was collected using online forms, and participants were asked about their perceptions and knowledge of climate change. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore relationships between demographic factors and students’ attitudes and knowledge. Results and importance: Overall, the study found that most medical students had a positive attitude and good knowledge about climate change. Factors like age, gender, and family income influenced students’ perceptions. The findings underscore the importance of educating future healthcare professionals about climate change to address its health impacts effectively. Key message: Medical students in Pakistan show a positive attitude and sufficient knowledge about climate change and its health effects. This highlights the importance of incorporating climate change education into medical curricula to prepare future doctors for addressing climate-related health challenges.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Distribution of responses across subscale 1: attitudes towards climate change.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Distribution of responses across subscale 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Distribution of responses across subscale 3.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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