A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability

Introduction: There is a critical need for low-carbon, environmentally-sustainable health systems in the climate crisis. Healthcare trainees can play a vital role in this process, and we have aimed to explore how they can be motivated and supported by faculties of medicine and health systems to purs...

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Main Authors: Owen Dan Luo, Sumara Stroshein, Yasmeen Razvi, Alanna Jane, Zahra Taboun, Laurence Robert, Omar Taboun, Nicole Simms
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:The Journal of Climate Change and Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000555
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author Owen Dan Luo
Sumara Stroshein
Yasmeen Razvi
Alanna Jane
Zahra Taboun
Laurence Robert
Omar Taboun
Nicole Simms
author_facet Owen Dan Luo
Sumara Stroshein
Yasmeen Razvi
Alanna Jane
Zahra Taboun
Laurence Robert
Omar Taboun
Nicole Simms
author_sort Owen Dan Luo
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: There is a critical need for low-carbon, environmentally-sustainable health systems in the climate crisis. Healthcare trainees can play a vital role in this process, and we have aimed to explore how they can be motivated and supported by faculties of medicine and health systems to pursue this ambition by conducting an exploratory, qualitative descriptive study of Canadian healthcare trainees engaged in healthcare sustainability initiatives. Materials and methods: Transcripts from individual in-depth interviews were analyzed to identify themes related to the actions that healthcare trainees can take to promote sustainable healthcare, as well as the motivators, barriers and facilitators of healthcare trainee engagement in sustainable healthcare. Results: Participants (N = 17) engaged in a spectrum of healthcare sustainability initiatives, including education, quality improvement and advocacy. They were motivated to advance healthcare sustainability through positive role models, the health impacts of climate change, observation of unsustainable healthcare practices, and a sense of social responsibility. Participants articulated that supportive networks, access to resources and funding, and having a growth mindset were facilitators to their engagement. In contrast, the lack of institutional prioritization of healthcare sustainability, limitations of the trainee role, challenges finding allies, and the perceived futility of their individual actions were characterized as barriers. Discussion: Healthcare trainees could support healthcare decarbonization efforts if they are adequately supported by their learning environments. The study's findings can guide educational innovations and health systems transformations to motivate and empower healthcare trainees to reduce the climate impact of healthcare throughout their careers.
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spelling doaj-art-1b8c3fbda94c42ed896a3a01d1f3a73d2024-12-10T04:14:55ZengElsevierThe Journal of Climate Change and Health2667-27822024-11-0120100352A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainabilityOwen Dan Luo0Sumara Stroshein1Yasmeen Razvi2Alanna Jane3Zahra Taboun4Laurence Robert5Omar Taboun6Nicole Simms7Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Corresponding author.Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaFaculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaFaculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFaculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Sustainable Health Systems, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaIntroduction: There is a critical need for low-carbon, environmentally-sustainable health systems in the climate crisis. Healthcare trainees can play a vital role in this process, and we have aimed to explore how they can be motivated and supported by faculties of medicine and health systems to pursue this ambition by conducting an exploratory, qualitative descriptive study of Canadian healthcare trainees engaged in healthcare sustainability initiatives. Materials and methods: Transcripts from individual in-depth interviews were analyzed to identify themes related to the actions that healthcare trainees can take to promote sustainable healthcare, as well as the motivators, barriers and facilitators of healthcare trainee engagement in sustainable healthcare. Results: Participants (N = 17) engaged in a spectrum of healthcare sustainability initiatives, including education, quality improvement and advocacy. They were motivated to advance healthcare sustainability through positive role models, the health impacts of climate change, observation of unsustainable healthcare practices, and a sense of social responsibility. Participants articulated that supportive networks, access to resources and funding, and having a growth mindset were facilitators to their engagement. In contrast, the lack of institutional prioritization of healthcare sustainability, limitations of the trainee role, challenges finding allies, and the perceived futility of their individual actions were characterized as barriers. Discussion: Healthcare trainees could support healthcare decarbonization efforts if they are adequately supported by their learning environments. The study's findings can guide educational innovations and health systems transformations to motivate and empower healthcare trainees to reduce the climate impact of healthcare throughout their careers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000555Healthcare sustainabilityQualitative researchNet-zero healthcareTrainee leadershipClimate changeQuality improvement
spellingShingle Owen Dan Luo
Sumara Stroshein
Yasmeen Razvi
Alanna Jane
Zahra Taboun
Laurence Robert
Omar Taboun
Nicole Simms
A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
The Journal of Climate Change and Health
Healthcare sustainability
Qualitative research
Net-zero healthcare
Trainee leadership
Climate change
Quality improvement
title A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
title_full A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
title_fullStr A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
title_full_unstemmed A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
title_short A qualitative study of what motivates, facilitates, and hinders climate-engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
title_sort qualitative study of what motivates facilitates and hinders climate engaged healthcare trainees to advance healthcare sustainability
topic Healthcare sustainability
Qualitative research
Net-zero healthcare
Trainee leadership
Climate change
Quality improvement
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000555
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