Nursing students' conceptualization of environmental problems: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Nursing Education
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Environmental challenges are critical global issues requiring public engagement.
• Understanding environmental attitudes is vital for effective environmental action.
• Nurses play a crucial role in addressing environmental health concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how nursing students classify environmental issues.
• To examine the influence of sociodemographic factors and global responsibility on environmental issue conceptualization among nursing students.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 1466 nursing students in Turkiye.
• Data were collected using a questionnaire assessing environmental issues and the Global Social Responsibility Scale (GSRS).
• Statistical analyses included explanatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and mediator analysis.

Main Results:

• Students categorized environmental issues into eco-social and human-oriented dimensions.
• Factors such as first-year status, male gender, rural school setting, and limited family discussion of environmental issues were associated with lower recognition of eco-social problems.
• Higher scores in action-oriented and ecological responsibility positively correlated with recognizing eco-social issues as environmental.
• Conversely, poor socioeconomic perception and negative future outlook increased recognition of human-oriented issues, while national responsibility decreased it.
• Global responsibility perception partially mediated the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and environmental issue recognition.

Conclusions:

• Significant individual differences exist among nursing students regarding environmental issue perception.
• Family discussions and educational background influence students' environmental attitudes.
• Curricula should be enhanced to foster greater global social responsibility among nursing students.