Awareness and Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Workers related to the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis is not only an environmental issue but also a growing challenge to biopsychosocial well-being. This study examined the association between climate crisis awareness and mental health-related indicators, specifically eco-anxiety and depressive symptoms, among healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and September 2023 using an online survey in Türkiye. A total of 301 healthcare professionals-including physicians, psychologists, nurses, and allied health personnel-participated using snowball (non-probability) sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Ecological Awareness and Consciousness Scale (EACS), and the Eco-Anxiety Scale (EAS). The EACS was adapted from an existing instrument and applied for exploratory purposes. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0, employing nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Spearman's correlation). Results showed that 71.4% of participants were female and 28.6% were male, with a mean professional experience of 10.96 ± 6.9 years. Most participants (87%) reported being informed about climate change, primarily through media sources. Climate crisis awareness was positively correlated with eco-anxiety (r = 0.339, P < 0.001), and eco-anxiety was positively associated with depressive symptom severity (r = 0.482, P < 0.001). In secondary analyses, male participants reported higher levels of eco-anxiety and depressive symptoms than females (P < 0.01). These findings highlight the psychological correlates associated with climate crisis awareness among healthcare professionals and underscore the importance of integrating mental health support and resilience-building strategies into climate-related education and awareness initiatives. Given the cross-sectional design, the findings reflect associations rather than causal effects.