School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Epilepsia. 2024 Jan;65(1):95-106. doi: 10.1111/epi.17824. Epub 2023 Dec 8.
Concern about climate change among the general public is acknowledged by surveys. The health care sector must play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a changing climate, which will require the support of its stakeholders including those with epilepsy, who may be especially vulnerable. It is important to understand this community's attitudes and concerns about climate change and societal responses.
A survey was made available to more than 100 000 people among a section of the neurological community (patients, carers, and clinicians), focused on epilepsy. We applied quantitative analysis of Likert scale responses supported by qualitative analyses of free-text questions with crossover analyses to identify consonance and dissonance between the two approaches.
A small proportion of potential respondents completed the survey; of 126 respondents, 52 had epilepsy and 56 explicitly declared no illness. The survey indicated concern about the impact of climate change on health within this neurological community focused on epilepsy. More than half of respondents considered climate change to have been bad for their health, rising to 68% in a subgroup with a neurological condition; over 80% expected climate change to harm their health in future. Most (>75%) believed that action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will lead to improved health and well-being. The crossover analysis identified cost and accessibility as significant barriers.
The high level of concern about climate change impacts and positive attitudes toward policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions provide support for climate action from the epilepsy community. However, if policies are implemented without considering the needs of patients, they risk being exclusionary, worsening inequalities, and further threatening neurological health and well-being.
调查显示，公众普遍关注气候变化。医疗保健部门必须在减少温室气体排放和适应气候变化方面发挥作用，这将需要包括癫痫患者在内的利益相关者的支持，他们可能特别脆弱。了解这一群体对气候变化和社会应对措施的态度和关切非常重要。
我们向神经科社区（患者、护理人员和临床医生）的一部分人提供了一份针对癫痫的调查，超过 10 万人参与了调查。我们应用了李克特量表的定量分析，并结合对带有交叉分析的自由文本问题的定性分析，以确定这两种方法之间的一致性和分歧。
一小部分潜在受访者完成了调查；在 126 名受访者中，有 52 名患有癫痫，56 名明确表示没有疾病。调查表明，专注于癫痫的神经科社区关注气候变化对健康的影响。超过一半的受访者认为气候变化对他们的健康有害，在有神经疾病的亚组中上升到 68%；超过 80%的人预计气候变化将在未来对他们的健康造成伤害。大多数（>75%）人认为采取行动减少温室气体排放将改善健康和福祉。交叉分析确定了成本和可及性是重大障碍。
对气候变化影响的高度关注以及对减少温室气体排放政策的积极态度为癫痫患者群体的气候行动提供了支持。然而，如果在实施政策时不考虑患者的需求，这些政策可能会排斥患者，加剧不平等，进一步威胁神经健康和福祉。
