Introduction
Background
Theoretical framework: the ecological systems theory
Knowledge gaps and significance of the study
Research questions
-
What is the current level of climate change literacy among nursing students?
-
What factors can be identified as predictors influencing the climate change literacy of nursing students?
Methods
Design and setting
Participants
Instruments
Geographic diversity and socio-demographics
Student health habits and academic performance
Faculty knowledge and institutional support
Domains of student climate literacy
Adaptation, validity, and reliability of the study instrument
Measurements to ensure the validity and reliability of the tool
Internal consistency testing
Pilot study
Data collection
Ethical consideration
Data analysis
Results
Students’ data | N (%) or mean (SD) | |
---|---|---|
Socio-demographics | ||
Demographic diversity, N (%) | Upper region | 2700 (26.8%) |
Middle region | 3847 (38.1%) | |
Lower region | 3537 (35.1%) | |
Location, N (%) | Urban | 5082 (50.4%) |
Rural | 5002 (49.6%) | |
Age, mean (SD) | 21.14 (2.51) | |
Sex, N (%) | Male | 3694 (36.6%) |
Female | 6390 (63.4%) | |
Parental education, N (%) | High school or less | 4664 (46.3%) |
Bachelor’s degree | 4993 (49.5%) | |
Master’s degree or higher | 427 (4.2%) | |
Average household income in dollar, mean (SD) | 453.80 (165.99) | |
Health status and habits | ||
Eat a well-balanced diet, N (%) | Yes | 3083 (30.6%) |
No | 7001 (69.4%) | |
Practice physical exercise four times or more per week, N (%) | Yes | 3269 (32.4%) |
No | 6815 (67.6%) | |
Sleep from 6–8 h, N (%) | Yes | 7941 (78.7%) |
No | 2143 (21.3%) | |
Smoking, drink alcohol or other substance, N (%) | Yes | 4101 (40.7%) |
No | 5983 (59.3%) | |
Having chronic disease, N (%) | Yes | 793 (7.9%) |
No | 9291 (92.1%) | |
Academic performance | ||
Current academic level, N (%) | Freshman | 844 (8.4%) |
Sophomore | 2394 (23.7%) | |
Junior | 1469 (14.6%) | |
Senior | 2329 (23.1%) | |
Intern | 3048 (30.2%) | |
Overall grade point average (GPA), mean (SD) | 2.71 (0.76) |
Faculty knowledge and support points | Mean (SD) |
---|---|
Perceived faculty members’ knowledge of climate change and health education | 2 69 (1.02) |
Availability of climate change-related resources such as textbooks and modules | 1.08 (0.29) |
Availability of institutional policies and initiatives regarding climate change and health education | 0.88 (0.30) |
Introduction of methods to integration climate literacy into the nursing curriculum | |
Lectures | 1.45 (0.49) |
Case Studies | 1.29 (0.45) |
Simulations | 1.38 (0.48) |
Field trip | 1.26 (0.44) |
Guest speaking | 1.28 (0.45) |
Frequency and depth of engagement with climate literacy practices | 1.68 (0.47) |
Perceived effectiveness of climate literacy practices | 1.31 (0.46) |
Climate literacy domains | Mean (SD) |
---|---|
Domain 1: Climate Science | 14.38 (2.06) |
The Earth’s average temperature has been rising significantly in the past century | 3.14 (0.78) |
The leading cause of this rise in temperature is the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere | 2.14 (0.74) |
These greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun, causing the planet to warm | 2.69 (1.01) |
Natural cycles like volcanic eruptions and solar activity can influence Earth’s climate, but human activities are the dominant driver of climate change | 3.62 (0.88) |
Positive feedback loops in the climate system, like melting ice reflecting less sunlight and releasing more methane from permafrost, can amplify the effects of climate change | 2.78 (1.08) |
Domain 2: Climate Health Impacts | 17.72 (2.11) |
Heatwaves, air pollution, and water scarcity, all linked to climate change, can have severe health consequences like heatstroke, respiratory problems, and infectious diseases | 3.21 (0.93) |
Specific populations, like children, older adults, and people with existing health conditions, are more vulnerable to climate-related health risks | 3.99 (0.85) |
Climate change can also disrupt ecosystems and food production, leading to malnutrition and food insecurity, with further health impacts | 3.31 (0.98) |
Nurses and healthcare professionals are crucial in identifying and managing climate-related health risks in their patients and communities | 3.48 (1.08) |
Effective communication and collaboration across sectors, including healthcare, are essential for building resilience and adapting to the health impacts of climate change | 3.70 (0.79) |
Domain 3: Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies | 13.33 (2.07) |
Reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power is crucial for mitigating climate change | 3.14 (0.78) |
Individual actions like using public transportation, reducing energy consumption at home, and adopting sustainable food choices can also contribute to climate change mitigation | 2.14 (0.74) |
Investing in green infrastructure, like drought-resistant crops and early warning systems for extreme weather events, can help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change | 2.58 (0.98) |
Climate-resilient healthcare systems should be prepared for increased heatwaves, floods, and other climate-related disasters to ensure continued access to essential healthcare services | 2.93 (1.08) |
Advocating for local, national, and international climate-friendly policies is essential to drive systemic change and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future | 2.53 (0.99) |
Domain 4: Communication and Advocacy | 14.41 (2.51) |
I feel comfortable and confident explaining the link between climate change and health to patients and community members | 2.86 (0.94) |
I can effectively tailor my communication about climate change to different audiences, considering their knowledge, beliefs, and concerns | 2.71 (1.27) |
I promote climate action and advocate for climate-friendly policies in my community | 2.94 (1.03) |
I believe nurses and healthcare professionals are responsible for raising awareness about climate change’s health impacts and advocating for solutions | 2.80 (1.17) |
Social media and other communication tools can mobilize public support for climate action and policy change | 3.08 (1.05) |
Variables | Test of significance with Domain 1 | Test of significance with Domain 2 | Test of significance with Domain 3 | Test of significance with Domain 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Socio-demographics | ||||
Demographic diversity | F = 1.630, p = .196 | F = .454, p = .635 | F = 2.160, p = .115 | F = 1.125, p = . .325 |
Location | t = .044, p = .602 | t = .105, p = .073 | t = -.246, p = .642 | t = -.117, p = .985 |
Age | r = .009, p = .350 | r = -.005, p = .651 | r = .007, p = .464 | r = .010, p = .301 |
Sex | t = 3.169, p = .075 | t = 2.165, p = .141 | t = 0.349, p = .554 | t = 3.049, p = .081 |
Parental education | F = .578, p = .561 | F = .128, p = .880 | F = .250, p = .779 | F = 1.207, p = .299 |
Average household income in dollar | r = .001, p = .913 | r = .011, p = .283 | r = -.008, p = .396 | r = -.002, p = .817 |
Health status and habits | ||||
Eat a well-balanced diet | t = .675, p = .326 | t = .054, p = .736 | t = .968, p = .329 | t = .347, p = .949 |
Practice physical exercise | t = .104, p = .629 | t = .448, p = .295 | t = -.205, p = .977 | t = -.902, p = .732 |
Sleep from 6–8 h | t = -.983, p = .325 | t = -.259, p = .796 | t = .814, p = .416 | t = 2.112, p = .035* |
Smoking, drinking alcohol, or others | t = -.829, p = .407 | t = -.044, p = .965 | t = -1.335, p = .182 | t = .136, p = .892 |
Having chronic disease | t = .277, p = .782 | t = .138, p = .890 | t = -1.030, p = .303 | t = .076, p = .939 |
Academic performance | ||||
Current academic level | F = .934, p = .634 | F = 1.363, p = .023* | F = .767, p = .927 | F = 1.246, p = .080 |
Overall grade point average (GPA) | r = 0.62, p > .001** | r = .010, p = .317 | r = .017, p = .094 | r = -.015, p = .135 |
Faculty knowledge and support points | ||||
Perceived faculty members’ knowledge of climate change | r = .507, p > .001** | r = .079, p > .001** | r = .034, p > .001** | r = .405, p > .001** |
Availability of climate change-related resources | r = -.003, p = .775 | r = -.003, p = .733 | r = -.019, p = .058 | r = .001, p = .940 |
Availability of institutional policies and initiatives | r = -.012, p = .213 | r = .001, p = .966 | r = -.012, p = .210 | r = .010, p = .339 |
Methods to integration climate literacy into the curriculum | ||||
Lectures | r = .005, p = .626 | r = .008, p = .441 | r = .006, p = .570 | r = -.010, p = .310 |
Case studies | r = .002, p = .809 | r = .018, p = .077 | r = .000, p = .985 | r = .003, p = .776 |
Simulations | r = -.011, p = .288 | r = .004, p = .693 | r = -.007, p = .511 | r = -.004, p = .713 |
Field trip | r = .008, p = .411 | r = -.011, p = .281 | r = .005, p = .590 | r = -.017, p = .082 |
Guest speaking | r = .004, p = .666 | r = -.010, p = .293 | r = -.006, p = .576 | r = -.004, p = .680 |
Frequency and depth of engagement with faculty practices | r = .005, p = .581 | r = -.005, p = .648 | r = -.006, p = .569 | r = -.004, p = .705 |
Perceived effectiveness of climate literacy practices | r = -.007, p = .512 | r = -.004, p = .722 | r = -.006, p = .553 | r = .008, p = .913 |
Dependent variable | Independent variables | B (95.0% CI) | S. E | t | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Climate science | GPA | 0.08 (0.04—0.13) | .023 | 3.636 | < .001 |
Perceived faculty knowledge of climate change | 1.03 (0.99 -1.06) | .017 | 59.061 | < .001 | |
Climate health impacts | Perceived faculty knowledge of climate change | 0.16 (0.12—0.20) | .021 | 7.910 | < .001 |
Adaptation strategies | Perceived faculty knowledge of climate change | 0.76 (0.72- 0.80) | .019 | 40.68 | < .001 |
Communication | Sleep from 6–8 h | -0.13 (-0.25 to -0.01) | .061 | -2.102 | .036 |
Perceived faculty knowledge of climate change | 0.08 (.04—0.13) | .025 | 3.370 | < .001 |