Opinions on inclusion of pollution, climate change, and health in the curriculum Responses shown are % of respondents who” agree” or” strongly agree” with the each statement following the question “How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about including education on the relationship between pollution, climate change, and health in the medical/nursing/physician assistant school curriculum? | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Medical Students (Question N = 162) | Nursing Students (Question N = 53) | Physician Assistant Students (Question N = 46) | Combined Students (Question N = 261) | |
% (N) | % (N) | % (N) | % (N) | |
It is important to understand this issue so I can help my patients | 60.5 (98) | 81.1 (43) | 73.9 (34) | 67.1 (175) |
It is important to understand this issue, but it isn’t pertinent to patient care | 39.5 (64) | 26.4 (14) | 13.0 (6) | 32.2 (84) |
I feel I can learn about this issue through observation in clinical practice, not classroom-based learning | 14.2 (23) | 21.2 (11) | 15.2 (7) | 15.8 (41) |
I feel we should cover this issue in the classroom and it should be reinforced in the clinical setting | 57.4 (93) | 71.7 (38) | 71.7 (34) | 62.8 (164) |
The training and testing we receive in medical school already requires a lot of my attention, there is no time to learn about this issue | 30.2 (49) | 24.5 (13) | 34.8 (16) | 29.9 (78) |
I think there is a role for physicians/nurses/physician assistants in addressing this issue, but it is not my personal interest area | 57.4 (93) | 39.6 (21) | 41.3 (19) | 50.9 (133) |
It is important to understand this issue because physicians/nurses/physician assistants have an important role to play in educating patients and the public about the impacts of pollution and climate change on health | 69.8 (113) | 86.8 (46) | 91.3 (42) | 77.0 (201) |
Pollution and climate change should not be included in the medical/nursing/physician assistant school curriculum | 16.7 (27) | 11.3 (6) | 10.9 (5) | 14.6 (38) |