Climate Change and Sustainable Healthcare: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Educational Role of Healthcare Workers

Background: The role of healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial in promoting and educating about sustainable behaviors. This study aimed to assess Italian HCWs' knowledge, attitudes, practices, and educational role regarding climate change and its health implications. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to December 2024. Results: Among the 564 HCWs who participated, 45% and 40.3% considered climate change very important and urgent, respectively. Nurses, who had at least one chronic disease, who self-assessed their knowledge of climate change as good/very good, who needed additional information, and those who knew that problems in global food supply are consequences of climate change were more likely to consider it an urgent problem. Women, those married/cohabitant, and who knew that the spread of infectious diseases, problems in the global food supply, water scarcity or clean water conservation were consequences of climate change, were more likely to believe that climate change is causing health problems. Men, who had at least one chronic disease, who knew that infants/children, elderly and people with multiple medical conditions are more sensitive to climate change, those very scared of climate change, and who received information in training courses were more likely to educate patients for improving sustainability and health protection. Conclusions: Tailored training and integrating sustainability for HCWs could significantly support the health sector in adapting in climate change mitigation.