%0 Journal Article
%T Perspectives on climate action and the changing burden of infectious diseases among young Italian doctors and students: a national survey.
%A Segala FV
%A Di Gennaro F
%A Giannini LAA
%A Stroffolini G
%A Colpani A
%A De Vito A
%A Di Gregorio S
%A Frallonardo L
%A Guido G
%A Novara R
%A Amendolara A
%A Ritacco IA
%A Ferrante F
%A Masini L
%A Iannetti I
%A Mazzeo S
%A Marello S
%A Veronese N
%A Gobbi F
%A Iatta R
%A Saracino A
%J Front Public Health
%V 12
%N 0
%D 2024
%M 39015393
%F 6.461
%R 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1382505
%X UNASSIGNED: The eco-climatic crisis has been defined by the World Health Organization as the "single biggest health threat facing humanity," influencing both the emergence of zoonoses and the spread of vector-borne and water-borne diseases. The aim of this survey was to explore knowledge, eco-anxiety and attitudes toward the ecological and climate crisis among young Italian doctors and medical students.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional, multicenter survey was conducted from November 2022 to June 2023, by administering an anonymous questionnaire to Italian doctors and students of medicine. Endpoint of the study was a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) score on ecological and climate crisis (0-20 points). Association between variables and KAP score was assessed by Kruskal-Wallis' or Spearman's test, as appropriate, and significant variables were included into ordinal regression model and reported as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI).
UNASSIGNED: Both KAP and eco-anxiety scores showed acceptable levels of consistency with Cronbach's alpha. A total of 605 medical doctors and students living in 19 Italian regions were included in the study. Median age [Q1-Q3] was 27.6 [24.1-31.3] and females were 352 (58.2%). Despite showing good attitudes toward climate action, knowledge gap were found, with 42.5% (n = 257) of the respondents not knowing the temperature limits set by the Paris Agreements and 45.5% (n = 275) believing that climate change is caused by sunspots. Fears suggestive for eco-anxiety were common. At multivariable ordinal regression, high levels of eco-anxiety (aOR 1.29, p = 0.001) and low trust in government action (aOR 1.96, p = 0.003) were associated with a higher KAP score. Only one Italian medical school offered an educational module on climate change.
UNASSIGNED: Young Italian doctors and medical students are concerned about the climate crisis but show poor knowledge of these topics. The Italian academic system should urgently respond to this need.