Climate and health concerns of Montana’s public and environmental health professionals: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Rural health professionals stand at the forefront of community response to climate change, but few studies have assessed their perceptions of the threat. Further, no previous study has compared the opinions of environmental to public health professionals or extensively analyzed the factors related to these experts’ climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and issue prioritization. Methods In conjunction with the Montana Climate Assessment’s 2021 Special Report on Climate Change and Human Health, the 479 members of the Montana Public Health Association and Montana Environmental Health Association were surveyed during September–October 2019, with 39% completing the survey. We summarized descriptive data about their perceptions of local climate-related changes and their beliefs that global warming is happening, is mostly human-caused, is a risk to human health, and that their offices and others should take action. We also evaluated which sociodemographic and risk perception factors related to these climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and workplace issue prioritization. Results Health professionals in Montana, a politically conservative state, demonstrated high levels of awareness that global warming is happening, human-caused, and a threat to human health, well above reported rates of public concern. Eighty-eight percent said that global warming is occurring and 69% that it is mostly anthropogenic. Sixty-nine percent said that their own health was already affected by climate, and 86% said they were already seeing at least one climate change-related event in their communities. Seventy-two percent said that their departments should be preparing to deal with climate change’s health effects, but just 30% said that it is currently happening. We found no statistically significant differences between Montana environmental health and public health professionals in regression models predicting climate beliefs, risk perception, and prioritization. As in studies of the public, political ideology and the observation of local climate-related changes were the strongest factors. Conclusions Montana environmental and public health officials said that departmental action was needed on climate change, indicating the readiness of rural health professionals to take action. Further studies of health professionals in rural regions are warranted.

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Climate and Health Concerns of Montana’s Public and Environmental Health Professionals: a Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-272212/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lori Griffin Byron ◽

Karen L. Akerlof

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

Global Warming ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Injunctive Norms ◽

Local Climate ◽

Public Health Professionals

Abstract Background: Rural health professionals stand at the forefront of community response to climate change, but few studies have assessed their perceptions of the threat. Further, no previous study has compared the opinions of environmental to public health professionals or extensively analyzed the factors related to these experts’ climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and injunctive norms. Methods: In conjunction with the Montana Climate Assessment’s 2021 Special Report on Climate Change and Human Health, the 479 members of the Montana Public Health Association and Montana Environmental Health Association were surveyed during September-October 2019, with 39% completing the survey. We summarized descriptive data about their perceptions of local climate-related changes, and their levels of belief that global warming is happening, is mostly human-caused, is a risk to human health, and that their offices and others should take action. We also evaluated which sociodemographic and risk perception factors related to these climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and injunctive norms. Results: Health professionals in Montana, a politically conservative state, demonstrated high levels of awareness that global warming is happening, human-caused, and a threat to human health, well above reported rates of public concern. Eighty-eight percent said that global warming is occurring and 69% that it is mostly anthropogenic. Sixty-nine percent said that their own health was already affected by climate, and 86% said they were already seeing at least one climate change-related event in their communities. Seventy-two percent said that their departments should be preparing to deal with climate change’s health effects, but just 30% said that it is currently happening. We found no statistically significant differences between Montana environmental health and public health professionals in regression models predicting climate beliefs, risk perception, and injunctive norms. As in studies of the public, political ideology and the observation of local climate-related changes were the strongest factors.Conclusions: Montana environmental and public health officials said that departmental action was needed on climate change, indicating the readiness of rural health professionals to take action. Further studies of health professionals in rural regions are warranted.

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Climate Change and Health Preparedness in Africa: Analysing Trends in Six African Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094672 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4672

Author(s):

Samuel Kwasi Opoku ◽

Walter Leal Filho ◽

Fudjumdjum Hubert ◽

Oluwabunmi Adejumo

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

South Africa ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Systems ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Health Problems ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

African Countries

Climate change is a global problem, which affects the various geographical regions at different levels. It is also associated with a wide range of human health problems, which pose a burden to health systems, especially in regions such as Africa. Indeed, across the African continent public health systems are under severe pressure, partly due to their fragile socioeconomic conditions. This paper reports on a cross-sectional study in six African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Kenya) aimed at assessing their vulnerabilities to climate change, focusing on its impacts on human health. The study evaluated the levels of information, knowledge, and perceptions of public health professionals. It also examined the health systems’ preparedness to cope with these health hazards, the available resources, and those needed to build resilience to the country’s vulnerable population, as perceived by health professionals. The results revealed that 63.1% of the total respondents reported that climate change had been extensively experienced in the past years, while 32% claimed that the sampled countries had experienced them to some extent. Nigerian respondents recorded the highest levels (67.7%), followed by Kenya with 66.6%. South Africa had the lowest level of impact as perceived by the respondents (50.0%) when compared with the other sampled countries. All respondents from Ghana and Namibia reported that health problems caused by climate change are common in the two countries. As perceived by the health professionals, the inadequate resources reiterate the need for infrastructural resources, medical equipment, emergency response resources, and technical support. The study’s recommendations include the need to improve current policies at all levels (i.e., national, regional, and local) on climate change and public health and to strengthen health professionals’ skills. Improving the basic knowledge of health institutions to better respond to a changing climate is also recommended. The study provides valuable insights which may be helpful to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Public Health Professionals' Perceptions of Dengue Control in the Face of Climate Change: A National Survey among China CDC Staff

ISEE Conference Abstracts ◽

10.1289/isesisee.2018.p03.0110 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Michael Xiaoliang Tong ◽

Peng Bi

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

National Survey ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

The Face ◽

Dengue Control

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AN EVALUATION ON THE POLICIES ON PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration ◽

10.7454/ihpa.v3i2.2363 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Muswandar Muswandar ◽

Purnawan Junadi

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Professional Education ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Health Workers ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Education Institution ◽

Standard Test ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

The Right

Abstract. Law No. 36 of 2014 is a comprehensive law for health professionals. In that regulation, all health graduates that wish to practice their trade must have a letter of registration (STR). That policy also separated environmental health from public health. This was the reason why we decided to evaluate the policy that is related to public health professionals. This evaluation was a retrospective analysis that used in-depth interviews and literary research, respectively as primary and secondary data. From this research we discovered that public health graduates is has their own profession. And to obtain the right to practice their trade, they must pass the competence standard test. However, according to other regulations, only vocational or professional education graduates can participate in the test. Since there currently are no professional education institutions available for public health professionals, Minister of Health Regulation No. 41/2013 takes over. According to this law, all public health graduates will be provided an STR until there is a professional education institution. We also discovered that environmental health should NOT be separated from public health, since it is a large part of it. And therefore, the law must be amended. Abstrak. Undang-undang (UU) No. 36 Tahun 2014 mengatur tenaga kesehatan secara komprehensif. Dalam UU tersebut, semua tenaga kesehatan yang berpraktek wajib memiliki surat tanda registrasi (STR). Kebijakan juga telah memisahkan kesehatan lingkungan dari kesehatan masyarakat (kesmas). Oleh karena itu peneliti tertarik untuk melakukan evaluasi kebijakan khususnya terhadap konten kebijakan yang berhubungan dengan tenaga kesmas. Evaluasi isi kebijakan ini dilakukan dengan analisis retrospektif yang menggunakan wawancara mendalam dan telaah literatur sebagai data primer dan sekunder. Dari penelitian ini diketahui bahwa tenaga kesehatan masyarakat layak disebut sebagai sebuah profesi. Untuk mendapatkan STR, tenaga kesmas harus lulus ujian kompetensi. Tetapi, menurut peraturan yang berlaku, yang dapat mengikuti ujian kompetensi adalah lulusan pendidikan vokasi atau profesi. Namun, karena belum adanya pendidikan profesi untuk tenaga kesmas, maka untuk sementara Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan Nomor 41 Tahun 2013 digunakan sebagai solusi. Dimana semua lulusan institusi kesmas akan mendapatkan STR hingga terdapat institusi pendidikan yang menyelenggarakan pendidikan profesi. Selain itu ditemukan bahwa kesling sebenarnya merupakan bagian yang penting dari kesmas, baik dalam literatur maupun pendapat para ahli. Sehingga sebaiknya dilakukan revisi atau amandemen untuk UU tersebut.

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Mitigating and adapting to climate change: a call to public health professionals

International Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1007/s00038-015-0722-7 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 60 (6) ◽

pp. 631-632 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mirko S. Winkler ◽

Martin Röösli ◽

Martina S. Ragettli ◽

Guéladio Cissé ◽

Pie Müller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Public Health Professionals

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Communicable Disease and Mental Health: Restrictions of the Person

American Journal of Law & Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0098858800009734 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 12 (3-4) ◽

pp. 381-403

Author(s):

Frank P. Grad

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Health Law ◽

American Public Health Association ◽

Health Control ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

Human Conduct ◽

Health Association

AbstractLaws for the protection of public health control either the environment, as in the case of sanitation or air pollution regulations, or human conduct. This Article deals with limitations imposed upon individuals in order to prevent the spread of communicable disease and the harm resulting from mental illness. The restraints discussed include compulsory examination and immunization, and forms of compulsory detention or commitment.This Article is a revised chapter of the author's Public Health Law Manual, first published by the American Public Health Association in 1965. The Manual is intended to help public health professionals to understand the law relevant to their practice, and to apply it more effectively.

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Understanding Wicked Problems: A Key to Advancing Environmental Health Promotion

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198104265597 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 441-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

Marshall W. Kreuter ◽

Christopher De Rosa ◽

Elizabeth H. Howze ◽

Grant T. Baldwin

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Life Experiences ◽

Wicked Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Hazardous Waste Sites ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

Effective Community

Complex environmental health problems—like air and water pollution, hazardous waste sites, and lead poisoning—are in reality a constellation of linked problems embedded in the fabric of the communities in which they occur. These kinds of complex problems have been characterized by some as “wicked problems” wherein stakeholders may have conflicting interpretations of the problem and the science behind it, as well as different values, goals, and life experiences. Accordingly, policy makers, public health professionals, and other stake-holders who grapple with these problems cannot expect to effectively resolve them by relying solely on expert-driven approaches to problem solving. Rather, they need to acknowledge that wicked environmental health problems are most likely to yield to (1) the application of effective community health promotionskills, (2) a sustained commitment to sound toxicological and epidemiological science, (3) the application of systems thinking, and (4) transparent communication among all stakeholders.

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Public health: The voice of professionals

International Journal for Quality in Health Care ◽

10.1093/intqhc/mzz124 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 177-183

Author(s):

Pedro L Ferreira ◽

Rui Passadouro

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Job Satisfaction ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Measurement Model ◽

Female Response ◽

Mainland Portugal ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

Relevant Role ◽

Public Setting

Abstract Objective To monitor, for the first time in Portugal, job satisfaction on public health units (PHUs). Design Observational, transversal and descriptive/correlational study. Setting All 55 PHUs of mainland Portugal. Participants This study targeted all 1196 public health professionals working in PHUs. Main outcome measures Instrument to Assess Satisfaction of Professionals (IASP), filled online, respecting the ethical considerations and a conceptual measurement model. Results Data were obtained from 64% of professionals serving in PHUs, 73% of them female. Response rate of the physicians was 59.1%, with 72.3% of environmental health technicians, 62.0% of nurses and 58.3% of technical assistants. The average age was 47.6(±10.4) years, from 22 to 69 years. We found fair/good satisfaction with men, less educated and professionals with coordination functions more satisfied and low-level satisfaction with salary. Sociodemographic and labour characteristics play a relevant role on job satisfaction. Being female, a physician and an environmental health technician or working in a public setting increases the probability of low satisfaction. Conclusions Public health professionals are satisfied with their job, revealing high pride in their professions and strongly recommending their units to family and friends. Some variables, for example gender, leadership, marital status and education, do influence satisfaction. However, we found dissatisfaction among physicians when practice is compared with what is thought in the internship. It is possible to change the reality in which public health professionals work and to contribute to a reorganization of resources, new internal dynamics and establishment of improvement plans, aimed at a full accomplishment and job satisfaction.

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Climate change education: the need for comprehensive climate change education in environmental public health curriculum

Environmental Health Review ◽

10.5864/d2020-029 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 63 (4) ◽

pp. 114-120

Author(s):

Maddy Boyko ◽

Tatianna Desak ◽

Christy Fleming ◽

Ken Diplock ◽

Wendy Pons

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Climate Change Education ◽

Web Based ◽

Post Secondary ◽

Health Curriculum ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

Subject Areas

Climate change is a significant issue impacting human and environmental health. Public health professionals will play an important role in responding to this crisis. This research investigated the need for enhanced climate change education for those in a Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspector (CIPHI)-accredited post-secondary program. In February 2020, a web-based survey was sent to public health professionals via the Ontario Branch of the CIPHI and the Association of Supervisors of Public Health Inspectors in Ontario listservs. The survey explored the climate change subject areas most relevant to public health work, reflections of public health professionals’ own climate change education, and opportunities for improvements in climate change education. The results showed most public health professionals are aware of climate change’s relationship to human health, recognize its impacts in their field, and believe in the value of climate change education. Understanding climate change impacts within this public health profession and the need for climate change education can influence future curricula for prospective public health professionals, resulting in professionals entering the field prepared to tackle the challenges of the future.

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