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'We don't use the word sustainability': an interview study exploring general practitioner views on sustainability
Sigrid Moesgaard Larsen1, Torsten Risør2,3, Kristian Damgaard Lyng4,5
1Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark.
Background:
General practice plays a central role in healthcare delivery and holds significant potential to advance sustainability by reducing its environmental footprint and promoting population health. While Denmark has implemented national and regional strategies to enhance sustainability in hospitals and secondary care, comparable initiatives in primary care remain limited, and little is known about general practitioner (GP) views on sustainability in general practice.
Aim:
The aim of the study was to explore GPs' views on sustainability in general practice.
Design And Setting:
Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted during November and December 2024 with GPs from all regions of Denmark.
Method:
A qualitative individual interview design using interpretative reflexive thematic analysis was used.
Results:
Two main themes were constructed (i) Making sense of sustainability: How GPs perceive sustainability in practice, with the subthemes: Abstract threat, concrete practices, Translating sustainability into clinical language, Financial sustainability as a prerequisite, and When social sustainability feels imposed; and (ii) Between responsibility and reluctance: the GP's role in a sustainable future, with the subthemes: Waiting for direction and delegation, and Forming sustainability as part of the professional identity. While most participants recognised sustainability as an important topic, they described challenges in transforming it into something manageable that could be incorporated into everyday clinical practice.
Conclusion:
This study underscores the need for more research and policy attention to sustainability in Danish general practice. GPs appear willing to support a sustainability transition in health care, but they require further guidance and knowledge.
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