skip to main content

Nursing Students’ Perceptions about the Effects of Climate Change on Health: A Descriptive Exploratory Study

*Jonalyn P. Santos orcid  -  Center for Health Research and Development, University of Saint Louis, Philippines
Eladio Martin S. Gumabay  -  Community Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia
Open Access Copyright (c) 2024 by the Authors, Published by Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Citation Format:
Abstract

Background: Climate change is recognized as an important health concern that the health sector and nurses must prepare for. Adequate preparation and understanding of its effects on health must be exemplified by nurses and nursing students. Previous studies showed that nurses and nursing students have good knowledge of climate change and its effects on health. However, none of these studies were conducted in the Philippines.

Purpose: This study explored the perceptions of nursing students about the effects of climate change on health.

Methods: The researchers utilized a descriptive qualitative research design. The study was conducted among level three Bachelor of Science in Nursing students selected through purposive sampling using the following criteria: a) students who were enrolled with a full load of units in the BSN course, and b) those who have not taken Disaster Nursing course in the previous semesters. A total of 35 participants were included in the study. Data collection was done through an interview using a researcher-made interview guide. Data analysis was done through content analysis.

Results: Two major themes were identified, which describe the perceptions of the nursing students about the effects of climate change on health. The findings revealed that the respondents have an adequate understanding of what climate change is and the factors that cause it. The respondents also mentioned that climate change negatively affects the physiological health of humans. Specifically, climate change increases the risk for non-communicable disease such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. It also alters certain characteristics of communicable diseases such as prevalence, seasonal pattern, and geographic distribution.

Conclusion: The findings revealed that student nurses know what climate change is and are aware that it negatively affects health. However, their perceptions of the effects of climate change on health are limited to its physiologic effects, specifically on non-communicable and infectious disease, as this reflects their understanding of how environmental factors affect disease pathogenesis or development.

Fulltext View|Download
Keywords: Climate change; climate change effects; nursing students; perceptions

Article Metrics:

  1. Ajuang, C. O., Abuom, P. O., Bosire, E. K., Dida, G. O., & Anyona, D. N. (2016). Determinants of climate change awareness level in upper Nyakach Division, Kisumu County, Kenya. SpringerPlus, 5(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2699-y
  2. Alcayna, T., Bollettino, V., Dy, P., & Vinck, P. (2016). Resilience and disaster trends in the Philippines: Opportunities for national and local capacity building. PLoS Currents, 8, ecurrents.dis.4a0bc960866e53bd6357ac135d740846. https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.4a0bc960866e53bd6357ac135d740846
  3. Anåker, A., Nilsson, M., Holmner, A., & Elf, M. (2015). Nurses’ perceptions of climate and environmental issues: A qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 71(8), 1883-1891. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12655
  4. Assarroudi, A., Heshmati Nabavi, F., Armat, M. R., Ebadi, A., & Vaismoradi, M. (2018). Directed qualitative content analysis: the description and elaboration of its underpinning methods and data analysis process. Journal of Research in Nursing, 23(1), 42-55. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987117741667
  5. Butler, C. D. (2018). Climate change, health and existential risks to civilization: A comprehensive review (1989–2013). International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(10), 2266. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102266
  6. Cabilao-Valencia, M. I., Ali, M., Maryani, E., & Supriatna, N. (2019). Integration of disaster risk reduction in the curriculum of Philippine educational institution. In 3rd Asian Education Symposium (AES 2018) (pp. 463-468). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/aes-18.2019.104
  7. Caranto, B. F., & Pitpitunge, A. D. (2015). Students’ knowledge on climate change: Implications on interdisciplinary learning. In Biology Education and Research in a Changing Planet: Selected Papers from the 25th Biennial Asian Association for Biology Education Conference (pp. 21-30). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-524-2_3
  8. Cianconi, P., Betrò, S., & Janiri, L. (2020). The impact of climate change on mental health: a systematic descriptive review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 490206. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00074
  9. Crowley, R. A., & Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. (2016). Climate change and health: A position paper of the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 164(9), 608-610. https://doi.org/10.7326/M15-2766
  10. Debela, N., Mohammed, C., Bridle, K., Corkrey, R., & McNeil, D. (2015). Perception of climate change and its impact by smallholders in pastoral/agropastoral systems of Borana, South Ethiopia. SpringerPlus, 4(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-015-1012-9
  11. Domantay, J. A. A., Leochico, C. F. D., Salvador, P. A. G. S., Ciriaco, V. M., Abad, P. R., Cruz, G. M., ... & Torres, C. P. (2021). Knowledge and attitudes of future physicians in the Cordillera region of the Philippines towards climate change: A pre-pandemic cross-sectional study. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 4, 100063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100063
  12. Dupraz, J., & Burnand, B. (2021). Role of health professionals regarding the impact of climate change on health—an exploratory review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 3222. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063222
  13. Ebi, K. L., Vanos, J., Baldwin, J. W., Bell, J. E., Hondula, D. M., Errett, N. A., Hayes, K., Reid, C.E., Saha, S., Spector, J., & Berry, P. (2021). Extreme weather and climate change: population health and health system implications. Annual Review of Public Health, 42(1), 293-315. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-012420-105026
  14. Etikan, I. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
  15. Felicilda-Reynaldo, R. F. D., Cruz, J. P., Alshammari, F., Obaid, K. B., Rady, H. E. A. E. A., Qtait, M., Alquwez, N., & Colet, P. C. (2018). Knowledge of and attitudes toward climate change and its effects on health among nursing students: A multi-Arab country study. Nursing Forum, 53(2), 179–189. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12240
  16. Gumabay, E. M. S., Ramirez, R. C., Dimaya, J. M. M., & Beltran, M. M. (2018). Adversity of prolonged extreme cold exposure among adult clients diagnosed with coronary artery diseases: A primer for recommending community health nursing intervention. Nursing Open, 5(1), 62-69. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.111
  17. Hathaway, J., & Maibach, E. W. (2018). Health implications of climate change: A review of the literature about the perception of the public and health professionals. Current Environmental Health Reports, 5, 197-204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-018-0190-3
  18. Harper, S. L., Edge, V. L., Ford, J., Willox, A. C., Wood, M., IHACC Research Team, RICG& McEwen, S. A. (2015). Climate-sensitive health priorities in Nunatsiavut, Canada. BMC Public Health, 15, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1874-3
  19. Kreslake, J. M., Sarfaty, M., & Maibach, E. W. (2016). Documenting the human health impacts of climate change in tropical and subtropical regions. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 95(2), 260. https://doi.org/10.4269%2Fajtmh.16-0400
  20. La Torre, G., Sestili, C., Cocchiara, R. A., Barbato, D., Mannocci, A., & Del Cimmuto, A. (2020). Knowledge and perception about climate change among healthcare professionals and students: A cross-sectional study. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.56801/seejph.vi.155
  21. Liao, W., Yang, L., Zhong, S., Hess, J. J., Wang, Q., Bao, J., & Huang, C. (2019). Preparing the next generation of health professionals to tackle climate change: Are China's medical students ready?. Environmental Research, 168, 270-277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.006
  22. Lujala, P., Lein, H., & Rød, J. K. (2015). Climate change, natural hazards, and risk perception: The role of proximity and personal experience. Local Environment, 20(4), 489-509. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2014.887666
  23. Maxwell, J., & Blashki, G. (2016). Teaching about climate change in medical education: An opportunity. Journal of Public Health Research, 5(1), 673. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2016.673
  24. McIver, L., Kim, R., Woodward, A., Hales, S., Spickett, J., Katscherian, D., Hashizume, M., Honda, Y., Kim, H., Iddings, S., Naicker, J., Bambrick, H., McMichael, A. J., & Ebi, K. L. (2016). Health impacts of climate change in Pacific Island countries: A regional assessment of vulnerabilities and adaptation priorities. Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(11), 1707-1714. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509756
  25. McMichael, C. (2015). Climate change-related migration and infectious disease. Virulence, 6(6), 548-553. https://doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2015.1021539
  26. Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons
  27. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2015). Global Climate Change: Vital signs of the planet. http://climate.nasa.gov/faq/
  28. Ofori, B. Y., Ameade, E. P., Ohemeng, F., Musah, Y., Quartey, J. K., & Owusu, E. H. (2023). Climate change knowledge, attitude and perception of undergraduate students in Ghana. PLOS Climate, 2(6), e0000215. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000215
  29. Opoku, S. K., Filho, W. L., Hubert, F., & Adejumo, O. (2021). Climate change and health preparedness in Africa: analysing trends in six African countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094672
  30. Polit, D.F. and Beck C.T. (2018). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice (9th eds.). Wolters Kluwer Health
  31. Rocque, R. J., Beaudoin, C., Ndjaboue, R., Cameron, L., Poirier-Bergeron, L., Poulin-Rheault, R. A., Fallon, C., Tricco, A. C., & Witteman, H. O. (2021). Health effects of climate change: an overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Open, 11(6), e046333. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046333
  32. Seposo, X. T., Dang, T. N., & Honda, Y. (2015). Evaluating the effects of temperature on mortality in Manila city (Philippines) from 2006–2010 using a distributed lag nonlinear model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6842-6857. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606842
  33. Siña, M., Wood, R. C., Saldarriaga, E., Lawler, J., Zunt, J., Garcia, P., & Cárcamo, C. (2016). Understanding perceptions of climate change, priorities, and decision-making among municipalities in Lima, Peru to better inform adaptation and mitigation planning. PloS One, 11(1), e0147201. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0147201
  34. Sun, L., Fang, S., Iqbal, S., & Bilal, A. R. (2022). Financial stability role on climate risks, and climate change mitigation: implications for green economic recovery. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(22), 33063-33074. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17439-w
  35. Weilnhammer, V., Schmid, J., Mittermeier, I., Schreiber, F., Jiang, L., Pastuhovic, V., Herr, C., & Heinze, S. (2021). Extreme weather events in europe and their health consequences–A systematic review. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 233, 113688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113688
  36. World Health Organization. (2021). 2021 WHO health and climate change global survey report. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/348068/9789240038509-eng.pdf
  37. Yang, L., Liao, W., Liu, C., Zhang, N., Zhong, S., & Huang, C. (2018). Associations between knowledge of the causes and perceived impacts of climate change: a cross-sectional survey of medical, public health and nursing students in universities in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2650. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122650
  38. Yusa, A., Berry, P., Cheng, J. J., Ogden, N., Bonsal, B., Stewart, R., & Waldick, R. (2015). Climate change, drought and human health in Canada. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(7), 8359-8412. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120708359
  39. Zaman, F. (2021). The role of popular discourse about climate change in disaster preparedness: A critical discourse analysis. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 60, 102270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102270

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update: 2024-10-10 05:53:05

No citation recorded.