Climate change is not just about rising temperatures or melting ice caps; it is a threat to our health that cannot be ignored. This master's thesis in Intercultural Relations at the Aberta University explored the crucial link between climate change and human well-being from the perspective of the health professionals who are on the front line of this battle. This dissertation was supervised by Fátima Alves.
Abstract:
"Climate change affects human health in several ways, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality from various respiratory, cardiovascular, infectious, and mental diseases. Understanding how physicians understand climate change and its impact on health is fundamental to developing more effective prevention and diagnostic/treatment strategies. Furthermore, it involves acting in adaptation and mitigation, influencing policies and intervention strategies in various territories.
However, we need to learn more about how physicians perceive the health impacts of climate change. To contribute to this knowledge, we aim this research to comprehend and explore how physicians perceive, explain, and experience, in their clinical practice, the consequences of climate change on human health. In addition, it is crucial to understand whether they identify as the main actors in raising patients' awareness about the health implications of climate change.
To conduct this study, we adopted a qualitative methodological design that allows us to understand and interpret the phenomenon from the point of view of the subjects of this investigation. We have also chosen a constructivist approach, as it enables us to explore the meanings attributed to the subjects' reality, considering their frames of reference. Due to these choices, semi-structured interviews and content analysis were considered the most appropriate data collection and analysis techniques.
The key findings of this research indicated that physicians are aware of the consequences and causes of climate change, and they recognize the additional threat it poses to human health. They also accept their role as key players in raising patients' awareness of the health impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, the participants of this study express the need for training, especially in integrating the connection between climate change and health into academics and professional practice."