Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Public Health Professionals in Three Cities of China on Climate Change and Human Health

Objectives  To learn the knowledge, attitude and practice of public health professionals on climate change issues.

Methods  A total of 795 public health professionals from 28 public health agencies in three cities of China were recruited by stratified cluster sampling method and interviewed with a self-administrated questionnaire.

Results  The subjects who were aware of climate change accounted for 84.4%, while only 43.5% of them concerned about the public health problems induced by climate change; 69.1% of them could tell more than 3 items of precautions necessary for chronic disease patients during heat wave; 58.6% of them could tell more than 3 factors causing heat stroke; 71.1% of them could tell more than 2 first aid measures for heat stroke. More than 75% of subjects were positive to carry out various activities adaptive to climate changing; 84.4% of them thought that carrying out public health education were important; only 38.5% of subjects participated in related activities and 55% of them had disseminated the knowledge on prevention of chronic diseases attack against heat wave. The main knowledge was from mass media, while only 35.8% from professional training.

Conclusions  Improving the capability of public health professionals and strengthening their work to adapt climate change and public health protection is needed.