IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i12p2650-d185546.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Associations between Knowledge of the Causes and Perceived Impacts of Climate Change: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical, Public Health and Nursing Students in Universities in China

Author

Listed:
  • Lianping Yang

    (School of Public Heath, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Wenmin Liao

    (School of Public Heath, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Chaojie Liu

    (School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia)

  • Na Zhang

    (School of Public Heath, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Shuang Zhong

    (Center for Chinese Public Administration Research, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China)

  • Cunrui Huang

    (School of Public Heath, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China)

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the knowledge and perceptions of medical, public health, and nursing students about climate change and its impacts, and to identify associations between the knowledge and perceptions. Data were from a nationwide cross-sectional survey of 1387 students sampled in five different regional universities in China (April–May 2017). The knowledge and perceptions of the participants were collected by self-administered questionnaires. We found that most respondents believed that climate change is generally “bad” (83%) and bad for human health (88%), while 67% believed that climate change is controllable. The vast majority of respondents acknowledged illness conditions resulting from poor air quality (95%), heat stress (93%), and extreme weather events (91%) as potential impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, only 39% recognized malnutrition as a consequence of food deprivation resulting from climate change. Around 58% of respondents could correctly identify the causes of climate change. The knowledge of the causes of climate change was not associated with the ability to recognize the health consequences of climate change. However, the knowledge of causes of climate change was a significant predictor of increased awareness of the negative impacts of climate change between the medical and nursing students, although this was not the case among their public health counterparts. Poor knowledge about the causes of climate change is evident among students in China. They are able to recognize the direct links between weather events and health, but less likely to understand the consequences involving complicated pathways. Research and training into the underlying mechanisms of health impacts of climate change needs to be strengthened.

Suggested Citation

  • Lianping Yang & Wenmin Liao & Chaojie Liu & Na Zhang & Shuang Zhong & Cunrui Huang, 2018. "Associations between Knowledge of the Causes and Perceived Impacts of Climate Change: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical, Public Health and Nursing Students in Universities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2650-:d:185546
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/12/2650/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/12/2650/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jing Shi & Vivianne H. M. Visschers & Michael Siegrist & Joseph Arvai, 2016. "Knowledge as a driver of public perceptions about climate change reassessed," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 759-762, August.
    2. Tien Ming Lee & Ezra M. Markowitz & Peter D. Howe & Chia-Ying Ko & Anthony A. Leiserowitz, 2015. "Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(11), pages 1014-1020, November.
    3. Connie Roser-Renouf & Edward W Maibach & Jennifer Li, 2016. "Adapting to the Changing Climate: An Assessment of Local Health Department Preparations for Climate Change-Related Health Threats, 2008-2012," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Jing Shi & Vivianne H. M. Visschers & Michael Siegrist, 2015. "Public Perception of Climate Change: The Importance of Knowledge and Cultural Worldviews," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(12), pages 2183-2201, December.
    5. Mirko Winkler & Martin Röösli & Martina Ragettli & Guéladio Cissé & Pie Müller & Jürg Utzinger & Laura Perez, 2015. "Mitigating and adapting to climate change: a call to public health professionals," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(6), pages 631-632, September.
    6. Derick A. Akompab & Peng Bi & Susan Williams & Janet Grant & Iain A. Walker & Martha Augoustinos, 2013. "Heat Waves and Climate Change: Applying the Health Belief Model to Identify Predictors of Risk Perception and Adaptive Behaviours in Adelaide, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Adam Corner, 2012. "Science literacy and climate views," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 710-711, October.
    8. Christina Tobler & Vivianne Visschers & Michael Siegrist, 2012. "Consumers’ knowledge about climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 189-209, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Keren Dopelt & Liza Aharon & Miri Rimon, 2024. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding Health and Environment in an Israeli Community: Implications for Sustainable Urban Environments and Public Health," World, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Shreya S. Shrikhande & Sonja Merten & Olga Cambaco & Tristan Lee & Ravivarman Lakshmanasamy & Martin Röösli & Mohammad Aqiel Dalvie & Jürg Utzinger & Guéladio Cissé, 2023. "“Climate Change and Health?”: Knowledge and Perceptions among Key Stakeholders in Puducherry, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mortoja, Md. Golam & Yigitcanlar, Tan, 2022. "Understanding political bias in climate change belief: A public perception study from South East Queensland," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    2. Sara Maestre-Andrés & Stefan Drews & Ivan Savin & Jeroen Bergh, 2021. "Carbon tax acceptability with information provision and mixed revenue uses," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Charles A. Ogunbode & Rouven Doran & Gisela Böhm, 2020. "Exposure to the IPCC special report on 1.5 °C global warming is linked to perceived threat and increased concern about climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 361-375, February.
    4. Rachel Dryden & M. Granger Morgan & Ann Bostrom & Wändi Bruine de Bruin, 2018. "Public Perceptions of How Long Air Pollution and Carbon Dioxide Remain in the Atmosphere," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(3), pages 525-534, March.
    5. Olugbemi Mosunmola Aroke & Behzad Esmaeili & Sojung Claire Kim, 2021. "Impact of Climate Change on Transportation Infrastructure: Comparing Perception Differences between the US Public and the Department of Transportation (DOT) Professionals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Michael Siegrist & Joseph Árvai, 2020. "Risk Perception: Reflections on 40 Years of Research," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(S1), pages 2191-2206, November.
    7. Jagadish Thaker & Nicholas Smith & Anthony Leiserowitz, 2020. "Global Warming Risk Perceptions in India," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(12), pages 2481-2497, December.
    8. Hussey, Lucia Kafui & Arku, Godwin, 2019. "Conceptualizations of climate-related health risks among health experts and the public in Ghana," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 40-50.
    9. Xueqi Wang & Jin Chen, 2022. "Fear emotion reduces reported mitigation behavior in adolescents subject to climate change education," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 1-16, September.
    10. Vivianne H. M. Visschers, 2018. "Public Perception of Uncertainties Within Climate Change Science," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(1), pages 43-55, January.
    11. Stefan Linde, 2020. "The Politicization of Risk: Party Cues, Polarization, and Public Perceptions of Climate Change Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(10), pages 2002-2018, October.
    12. Mona Nabil Demaidi & Khaled Al-Sahili, 2021. "Integrating SDGs in Higher Education—Case of Climate Change Awareness and Gender Equality in a Developing Country According to RMEI-TARGET Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-21, March.
    13. Hu, Saiquan & Jia, Xiao & Zhang, Xiaojin & Zheng, Xiaoying & Zhu, Junming, 2017. "How political ideology affects climate perception: Moderation effects of time orientation and knowledge," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 124-131.
    14. Myoungsoon You & Youngkee Ju, 2020. "The Outrage Effect of Personal Stake, Familiarity, Effects on Children, and Fairness on Climate Change Risk Perception Moderated by Political Orientation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
    15. D. Liliana González-Hernández & Raúl A. Aguirre-Gamboa & Erik W. Meijles, 2023. "The role of climate change perceptions and sociodemographics on reported mitigation efforts and performance among households in northeastern Mexico," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1853-1875, February.
    16. Shi Min & Xiaobing Wang & Shaoze Jin & Hermann Waibel & Jikun Huang, 2020. "Climate change and farmers’ perceptions: impact on rubber farming in the upper Mekong region," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 451-480, November.
    17. Alexis H. Villacis & Jeffrey R. Alwang & Victor Barrera, 2021. "Linking risk preferences and risk perceptions of climate change: A prospect theory approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 863-877, September.
    18. Jing Shi & Vivianne H. M. Visschers & Michael Siegrist, 2015. "Public Perception of Climate Change: The Importance of Knowledge and Cultural Worldviews," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(12), pages 2183-2201, December.
    19. Hou, L. & Min, S. & Huang, Q. & Huang, J., 2018. "Farmers perceptions of, ex ante and ex post adaptations to drought: Empirical evidence from maize farmers in China," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277208, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Marilou Jobin & Michael Siegrist, 2020. "Support for the Deployment of Climate Engineering: A Comparison of Ten Different Technologies," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(5), pages 1058-1078, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2650-:d:185546. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.