Abstract CN45
Background
Climate disasters and climate change have implications for healthcare globally. As the number and intensity of climate disasters increase, it is important to understand the effects on healthcare. We conducted a global survey of oncology nurses to identify educational needs related to climate change.
Methods
A 30-item survey to measure global climate change and oncology care was developed and IRB approval was obtained. The survey measured demographics, climate disaster awareness, and educational needs with multiple choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. The survey was disseminated via social media and oncology healthcare organizations. The nurses' data was extracted from the global survey. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS.
Results
81 responses from 11 countries were received. Respondents overwhelmingly (91.3%) reported wanting to learn more about how climate change affects cancer care. Preferred educational modalities include webinars (73.8%), e-learning (67.5%), conferences (52.2%), journal articles (48.8%) and podcasts (43.8%). The most common weather events impacting oncology care were extreme heat (72.8%) and heavy rains (51.2%). Half of respondents (50.6%) reported their workplace has a disaster plan for climate-related weather events or has taken steps to prepare for a climate-related weather event (50.6%). Respondents reported several patient impacts from climate-related events (Table). Table: CN45
In your oncology practice, how often have patients experienced the following related to climate change or climate-related weather events?
| Never n (%) | Rarely n (%) | Occasionally n (%) | Frequently n (%) | |
| Patients have missed appointments | 5 (6.2) | 26 (33.8) | 43 (55.8) | 3 (3.9) |
| Patients have experienced treatment delays | 11 (14.3) | 32 (41.6) | 31 (40.3) | 3 (3.9) |
| Patients have had to relocate for treatment | 35 (46.1) | 28 (36.8) | 11 (14.5) | 2 (2.6) |
| Patients have experienced climate-related health concerns | 14 (19.2) | 25 (34.2) | 27 (37.0) | 7 (9.6) |
| Patients have reported mental health issues, such as depression, stress, anxiety, and/or trauma | 19 (24.7) | 29 (37.7) | 20 (26.0) | 9 (11.7) |
| Patients have had financial issues | 22 (29.3) | 27 (36.0) | 22 (29.3) | 4 (5.3) |
| Patients have experienced concerns about food security or housing | 17 (22.4) | 25 (32.9) | 31 (40.8) | 3 (3.9) |
Conclusions
This global survey is the first to identify the educational needs of oncology nurses related to climate change and climate disasters. Nurses are positioned to take leadership roles in education, research, and practice related to climate and health.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
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