Knowledge and perceptions about the health impact of climate change among health sciences students in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Helmut Kloos²  Benedict O Asamoah¹  Andualem S Nigatu³ 

[1] International Master Programme in Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, CRC, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden;Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, USA;Master Program in Science for Sustainable Development, Department of Water and Environmental Studies, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

关键词: Knowledge and perception;    Climate related human health impacts;    Ethiopia;    Climate change;   

Others  :  1129536
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-587

 received in 2013-04-14, accepted in 2014-06-04,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Climate change affects human health in various ways. Health planners and policy makers are increasingly addressing potential health impacts of climate change. Ethiopia is vulnerable to these impacts. Assessing students’ knowledge, understanding and perception about the health impact of climate change may promote educational endeavors to increase awareness of health impacts linked to climate change and to facilitate interventions.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was carried out among the health science students at Haramaya University. Quantitative methods were used to analyze the results.

Result

Over three quarters of the students were aware of health consequences of climate change, with slightly higher rates in females than males and a range from 60.7% (pharmacy students) to 100% (environmental health and post-graduate public health students). Electronic mass media was reportedly the major source of information but almost all (87.7%) students stated that their knowledge was insufficient to fully understand the public health impacts of climate change. Students who knew about climate change were more likely to perceive it as a serious health threat than those who were unaware of these impacts [OR: 17.8, 95% CI: 8.8-32.1] and also considered their departments to be concerned about climate change (OR: 7.3, 95% CI: 2.8-18.8), a perception that was also significantly more common among students who obtained their information from the electronic mass media and schools (p < 0.05). Using electronic mass media was also significantly associated with knowledge about the health impacts of climate change.

Conclusion

Health sciences students at Haramaya University may benefit from a more comprehensive curriculum on climate change and its impacts on health.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Nigatu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]McMichael AJ, Campbell-Lendrum DH, Corvalan CF, Ebi KL, Githeko AK, Scheraga JD, Woodward A (Eds): Climate Change and Human Health Risks and Responses. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003.
• [2]Confalonieri U, Menne B, Akhtar R, Ebi KL, Hauengue M, Kovats RS, Revich B, Woodward A: Human health. In Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, Van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2007:391-432.
• [3]Nerlander L: Climate Change and Health. Commission on Climate Change and Development; [http://www.climatecentre.org/downloads/Climate%20change%20and%20health.pdf webcite]
• [4]The World Health Organization: The World Health Report. Geneva: WHO; 2002.
• [5]McMichael : Globalization, climate change, and human health. New Engl J Med 2013, 368:1335-1343.
• [6]Boko M, Niang I, Nyong A, Vogel C, Githeko A, Medany R, Osman-Elasha B, Tabo R, Yanda P: Africa. In Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, Van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2007:433-467.
• [7]World Health Organization: Improving Public Health Responses to Extreme Weather. Technical Summary [http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/95914/e92474.pdf webcite]
• [8]Kysely J: Recent severe heat waves in central Europe: how to view them in a long-term prospect. Int J Climatol 2010, l30:89-109.
• [9]Ahern M, Kovats R, Wilkinson P, Few R, Matthies F: Global health impacts of floods: epidemiological evidence. Epidemiol Rev 2005, 27:36-46.
• [10]Manuta J, Lebel L: Climate change and the risks of flood disasters in Asia: crafting adaptive and just institutions. Paper presented at the International Workshop on Human Security and Climate Change, University of Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 21–23, June 2005
• [11]Mondal N, Biswas M, Manna A: Risk factors of diarrhoea among flood victims: a controlled epidemiological study. Indian J. PublicHealth 2001, 45:122-127.
• [12]United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Climate change: impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation in developing countries. [http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/impacts.pdf webcite]
• [13]Arndt C, Ahmed H, Robinson S, Willenbockel D: Climate change and Ethiopia. IPO Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 6 2009, 32.
• [14]National Adaptation Program of Action: Climate Change National Adaptation Programme of Action of Ethiopia. [http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/napa/eth01.pdf webcite]
• [15]World Bank: Climate Change Risk. Fact Sheet. [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/intafrica/resources/ethiopia_country_note.pdf webcite]
• [16]Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Health: Health Sector Development Program IV. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2010. [http://www.nationalplanningcycles.org/sites/default/files/country_docs/Ethiopia/ethiopia_hsdp_iv_final_draft_2010_-2015.pdf webcite]
• [17]UNDP: Human Development Report: Climate Change and Human Development in Africa: Assessing the Risks and Vulnerability of Climate Change in Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia. New York; 2008.
• [18]Adem A, Bewket W: A Climate Change Country Assessment Report for Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Epsilon International R&D; 2011.
• [19]Abaya S, Mandere N, Winqvist N: Health officials’ perceptions of and preparedness for the impacts of climate variability on human health in the Somali region of Ethiopia. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change 2011, 16(5):585-596.
• [20]Akerlof K, DeBono R, Berry P, Leiserowitz A, Roser-Reouf C, Clarke K, Rogaeva A: Public perceptions of climate change as a human health risk: surveys of the United States, Canada and Malta. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2010, 7(6):2559-2606.
• [21]Maibach E, Chadwick A, McBride D, Chuck M, Ebi KL, Balbus J: Climate change and local public health in the United States: preparedness, programs and perceptions of local public health department directors. PLoS One 2008, 3(7):e2838.
• [22]Mpazi V, Mnyika K: Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding cholera outbreaks in Ilala municipality of Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. East Afr J Public Health 2005, 2(2):6-11.
• [23]Abdeyazdan Z, Sadeghi N: Knowledge and attitude toward AIDS/HIV among senior school students in Isfahan. IJCID 2008, 3(2):93-98.
• [24]Pugliese A, Ray J: Awareness of climate change and threat vary by region. [http://www.gallup.com/poll/124652/awareness-climate-change-threat-vary-region.aspx webcite]
• [25]McCright A: The effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public. Popul Environ 2010, 32(1):1-104.
• [26]Roehr U: Gender, climate change and adaptation: introduction to the gender dimensions. [http://www.uneca.org/acpc/resources/gender-and-climate-change/roehr_gender_climate.pdf webcite]
• [27]Escobar Y, Angel M, Vargas M: Women’s role in adapting to climate change and variability. Adv Geosci 2008, 14:277-280.
• [28]Dankelman I: Climate change: learning from gender analysis and women’s experiences of organizing for sustainable development. Gender Dev 2002, 10(2):21-29.
• [29]Ministry of Environment of Cambodia: Understanding Public Perception of Climate Change in Cambodia. [http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/pdf/cc_report_web.pdf webcite]
• [30]Warrington UK, Deressa T, Hassen R, Ringler C: Measuring Ethiopian farmers’ vulnerability to climate change across regional states. [http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pubs/pubs/ib/rb15/rb15_05.pdf webcite]
• [31]Berry H, Bowen K, Kjellstrom T: Climate change and mental health: a causal pathways framework. Int J Public Health 2010, 55(2):123-132.
• [32]Bedsworth L: Preparing for climate change: a perspective from local public health officers in California. Environ Health Perspect 2008, 117(4):617-623.