OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine nursing students' awareness of global climate change. DESIGN: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 302 undergraduate nursing students from a foundation university in Northern Cyprus during the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. A descriptive information form and the Awareness Scale of University Students about Global Climate Change (ASUSGCC) were used for data collection. RESULTS: The mean ASUSGCC score was 3.54 ± 0.64, and the participants received the lowest and highest scores from the awareness of the causes of global climate change (3.54 ± 0.64) and awareness of the effects of global climate change on the natural and human environment (4.03 ± 0.70) subscales, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed between the Global Climate Change scores and the year of education, with fourth-year students obtaining significantly higher scores (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The study found that nursing students have a moderate level of awareness of global climate change. To raise the level of awareness among these undergraduates, who will be future healthcare professionals, we recommend including climate change awareness in the national nursing curricula.
Abbasi, Z. A. K., & Nawaz, A. (2020). Impact of climate change awareness on climate change adaptions and climate change adaptation issues. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research, 36(3), 619–639. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjar/2020/33.3.619.636
Akay, D. S., Akça, G., Atİk, A. D., & Erkoç, F. (2020). Do life science professionals need training for the effects of climate change on health? The Journal of International Lingual Social & Educational Sciences, 6(1), 141–151. https://doi.org/10.34137/jilses.684622
Álvarez‐Nieto, C., Richardson, J., Navarro‐Perán, M. Á., Tutticci, N., Huss, N., Elf, M., Anåker, A., Aronsson, J., Baid, H., & López‐Medina, I. M. (2022). Nursing students’ attitudes towards climate change and sustainability: A cross‐sectional multisite study. Nurse Education Today, 108, 105185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105185
Amerson, R. M., Boice, O., Mitchell, H., & Bible, J. (2022). Nursing Faculty's perceptions of climate change and sustainability. Nursing Education Perspectives, 43(5), 277–282. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000991
Anåker, A., Spante, M., & Elf, M. (2021). Nursing students’ perception of climate change and sustainability actions—A mismatched discourse: A qualitative, descriptive exploratory study. Nurse Education Today, 105, 105028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105028
Ay, F., & Erik, N. Y. (2020). Knowledge and perception levels of university students towards global warming—and climate change. Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Letters Journal of Social Sciences, 44(2), 1–19. https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=cf540c61‐a616‐4ec7‐9513‐7732f43b5ee6%40redis
Biçer, B. K., & Vaizoğlu, S. A. (2015). Determination of awareness and knowledge of nursing students about global warmness/climate change. Journal of Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing, 2(2), 30–43.
Boulos, M. N. K., & Wilson, J. P. (2023). Geospatial techniques for monitoring and mitigating climate change and its effects on human health. International Journal of Health Geographics, 22, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942‐023‐00324‐9
Çeli̇k, S., Başaran, T., Gökalp, M. R., Yeşildal, M., & Han, O. (2016). Nursing department and medical faculty students’ attitudes towards environmental problem. Archives of Health Science and Research, 3(2), 91–98. https://doi.org/10.17681/hsp.79715
Chaiard, J., & Turale, S. (2022). Nursing: The critical need to address climate change and to protect health. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 54(1), 5–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12739
Cruz, J. P., Felicilda‐Reynaldo, R. F. D., Alshammari, F., Alquwez, N., Alicante, J. G., Obaid, K. B., Rady, H. E. A. E. A., Qtait, M., & Silang, J. P. B. T. (2018). Factors influencing Arab nursing students’ attitudes toward climate change and environmental sustainability and their inclusion in nursing curricula. Public Health Nursing, 35(6), 598–605. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12516
Deniz, M., İnel, Y., & Sezer, A. (2021). Awareness Scale of University Students about Global Climate Change. International Journal of Geography & Geography Education (IGGE), 43, 102–111.
Dündar, T., Toptaş, B., Başlı, M., & Kiraz, E. D. E. (2020). Academic nurses’ opinion on climate change. Journal of Nursing Sciences, 3(2), 10–15.
Dzurec, L. (2020). Nursing and health at the heart of climate change debates. Rehabilitation Nursing, 45(2), 55–56. https://doi.org/10.1097/RNJ.0000000000000250
Eker, E. O., & Kantarlı, S. (2020). Effects of climate change on health. Voice of Nature Journal, 3(5), 13–23. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article‐file/1413770
Ekici, E. (2022). Public health nurses in mitigation of the effects of climate changes. Journal of Public Health Nursing, 4(1), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.54061/jphn.989135
Ergin, A., Akbay, B., Özdemir, C., & Uzun, S. U. (2017). Medical faculty students’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior about global warming and its effects on health. Pamukkale Medical Journal, 10, 172–180. https://doi.org/10.5505/ptd.2017.15428
Ergin, E., Altinel, B., & Aktas, E. (2021). A mixed method study on global warming, climate change and the role of public health nurses from the perspective of nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 107, 105144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105144
Gök, N. D., & Fırat Kılıç, H. (2021). Environmental Awareness and sensitivity of nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 101, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104882
Incesu, O., & Yas, M. A. (2024). The relationship between nursing students’ environmental literacy and awareness of Global Climate Change. Public Health Nursing, 41(1), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13255
Korkmaz, M., & Gülsoy, E. (2020). The effects of socio‐economic characteristics of university students on global warming and climate change perceptions. Turkish Journal of Forestry | Türkiye Ormancılık Dergisi, 21(4), 428–437. https://doi.org/10.18182/tjf.798032
La Torre, G., De Paula Baer, A., Sestili, C., Cocchiara, R. A., Barbato, D., Mannocci, A., & Del Cimmuto, A. (2020). Knowledge and perception about climate change among healthcare professionals and students: A cross‐sectional study. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 13, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.4119/seejph‐3347
Mazzalai, E., Chiappetta, M., & La Torre, G. (2022). Knowledge and perception about climate change among healthcare professionals and students: A cross‐sectional study. Clinica Terapeutica, 173(5), 443–452. https://doi.org/10.4119/seejph‐3347
Okuroğlu, G. K. (2012). The impact of nursing education on students’ attitudes towards the environment. HEMAR‐G, 3, 27–38.
Özdemir, B., Özdamar, A., Kıymaz, S., & Akıllı, A. (2022). Investigation of awareness level of climate change: The case of Kırşehir İklim Değişikliğinin Farkındalık Düzeyinin Araştırılması: Kırşehir İli Örneği. Turkish Journal of Agriculture—Food Science & Technology, 10(9), 1732–1740.
Özer, Z., Teke, N., Görümlü, N., & Kılınç, Z. (2021). Determining the knowledge levels of the faculty of health sciences students’ on global warming. Health Care Academician Journal, 8(3), 199–205.
Rocque, R. J., Beaudoin, C., Ndjaboue, R., Cameron, L., Poirier‐Bergeron, L., Poulin‐Rheault, R. A., Fallon, C., Tricco, A. C., & Witteman, H. O. (2021). Health effects of climate change: An overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Open, 11(6), e046333. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen‐2020‐046333
Schenk, E. C., Cook, C., Demorest, S., & Burduli, E. (2021). Climate, Health, and Nursing Tool (CHANT): Initial survey results. Public Health Nursing, 38(2), 152–159. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12864
Şen, G., & Özer, Y. E. (2018). Assessment of awareness regarding climate change and environmental problems in university students: Dokuz Eylul University public administration case. Journal of Bitlis Eren University Institute of Social Sciences, 7, 667–688.
Türkmen, B. A. (2022). The analysis of climate change awareness at local level in Bilecik. European Journal of Science & Technology, 25, 457–462. https://doi.org/10.24012/dumf.1054061
World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Climate Change. https://www.who.int/news‐room/fact‐sheets/detail/climate‐change‐and‐health