Ohio State University, Colleges of Nursing and Public Health, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Mar;120(3):321-5. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1104025. Epub 2011 Nov 29.
Climate change affects human health, and health departments are urged to act to reduce the severity of these impacts. Yet little is known about the perspective of public health nurses--the largest component of the public health workforce--regarding their roles in addressing health impacts of climate change.
We determined the knowledge and attitudes of public health nurses concerning climate change and the role of public health nursing in divisions of health departments in addressing health-related impacts of climate change. Differences by demographic subgroups were explored.
An online survey was distributed to nursing directors of U.S. health departments (n = 786) with Internet staff directories.
Respondents (n = 176) were primarily female, white public health nursing administrators with ≥ 5 years of experience. Approximately equal percentages of respondents self-identified as having moderate, conservative, and liberal political views. Most agreed that the earth has experienced climate change and that climate change is somewhat controllable. Respondents identified an average of 5 of the 12 listed health-related impacts of climate change, but the modal response was zero impact. Public health nursing was perceived as having responsibility to address health-related impacts of climate change but lacking the ability to address these impacts.
Public health nurses view the environment as under threat and see a role for nursing divisions in addressing health effects of climate change. However, they recognize the limited resources and personnel available to devote to this endeavor.
气候变化影响人类健康，卫生部门被敦促采取行动，减轻这些影响的严重程度。然而，对于公共卫生护士（公共卫生劳动力中最大的组成部分）在应对气候变化对健康的影响方面的角色，人们知之甚少。
我们确定了公共卫生护士对气候变化的了解和态度，以及公共卫生护理部门在应对与健康相关的气候变化影响方面的作用。探讨了人口统计学亚组的差异。
向美国卫生部门护理主任（n=786）分发了一份在线调查，其中包括互联网工作人员名录。
受访者（n=176）主要是女性，有 5 年以上经验的白人公共卫生护理管理人员。大约相等比例的受访者自认为具有中等、保守和自由的政治观点。大多数人认为地球已经经历了气候变化，并且气候变化在一定程度上是可控的。受访者识别出了 12 种列出的与健康相关的气候变化影响中的平均 5 种，但最常见的反应是零影响。公共卫生护理被认为有责任应对与健康相关的气候变化影响，但缺乏应对这些影响的能力。
公共卫生护士认为环境受到威胁，并认为护理部门在应对气候变化对健康的影响方面发挥作用。然而，他们认识到可用于这项工作的资源和人员有限。
