Determining the Awareness Levels of Midwifery Students Regarding Global Climate Change
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18067901%20Keywords:
Global climate change, awareness, midwifery students, maternal and newborn health.Abstract
Purpose: Climate change is one of the most significant global threats affecting ecosystems, public health, and particularly vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and newborns. Midwives play a key role in protecting maternal–infant health and supporting climate-resilient health systems. This study aims to determine the awareness levels of midwifery students regarding global climate change.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 213 midwifery students enrolled in a university in central Türkiye. Data were collected between May–June 2025 using a Personal Information Form and the University Students’ Global Climate Change Awareness Scale. The scale consists of 21 items and four subdimensions. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and One-Way ANOVA were used in data analysis. Skewness–kurtosis values indicated normal distribution. Post-hoc tests (Bonferroni, Tamhane’s T2, Welch) were applied when required.
Results: The students’ overall awareness level was moderate (mean 74.2±13.6). The highest awareness was in the “effects on natural and human environment” subdimension. The mean awareness score of students who were aware of the health effects of climate change (76.7 ± 13.0) was significantly higher than that of students who were not aware of these effects (66.8 ± 14.6) (p<0.05). Additionally, students who received information from scientific meetings had significantly higher awareness levels (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The findings indicate that midwifery students’ climate change awareness needs improvement. Strengthening climate–health content in midwifery curricula and increasing scientific educational opportunities may enhance awareness. Supporting students’ knowledge in this area is essential for preparing climate-resilient maternal and newborn care providers.
References
Akkur, M., & Özdilek, R. (2025). Green midwifery care in climate change and newborn nutrition. Journal of Health Sciences Institute, 10(1), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.51754/cusbed.1587329
Aktaş Reyhan, F., Ertaş, E., & Boylu Gülek, İ. (2024). The opinions of midwives of the future on the effects of climate change on women’s health: A qualitative study. Türkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences, 9(3), 444–453. https://doi.org/10.5336/healthsci.2024-101905
Ataklı, G., & Kuran, H. (2022). İklim değişikliği farkındalık ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi. Biological Diversity and Conservation, 15(2), 150–161.
Bilgiç, B., & Demir, R. (2024). İklim değişikliğinin kadın üreme sağlığına olan etkilerine yönelik kadınlara verilen eğitimin bilgi durumuna ve iklim değişikliği farkındalığına etkisi. YOBÜ Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 5(3), 242-256.
Çaparlar, C. Ö., & Dönmez, A. (2016). Bilimsel araştırma nedir, nasıl yapılır. Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim, 44(4), 212-218. https://doi.org/10.5152/TJAR.2016.34711
Deniz, M., İnel, Y., & Sezer, A. (2021). Üniversite öğrencilerinin küresel iklim değişikliğine yönelik farkındalık ölçeği. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education, (43), 252-264. https://doi.org/10.32003/igge.818561
Ha, S. (2022). The changing climate and pregnancy health. Current Environmental Health Reports, 9, 263–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-022-00345-9
International Confederation of Midwives, (2024). Midwives: A vital climate solution. Erişim adresi: https://internationalmidwives.org/idm-theme-announcement/ Erişim tarihi: 19.11.2025
Işık, C., & Güneş, E. (2025). Ebelik öğrencilerinin iklim değişikliği farkındalık düzeylerinin iklim değişikliğine yönelik kaygılarına etkisi: Kesitsel araştırma. Sağlık ve Yaşam Bilimleri Dergisi, 7(2), 74–80. https://doi.org/10.33308/2687248X.202572373
İlaslan, N., & Şahin Orak, N. (2024). Relationship between nursing students’ global climate change awareness, climate change anxiety and sustainability attitudes. BMC Nursing, 23, 573. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02252-w
İncesu, O., & Altıner Yas, M. (2024). The relationship between nursing students’ environmental literacy and awareness of global climate change. Public Health Nursing, 41, 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13255
Kılıç, S & Yılmaz, S. (2025). İklim değişikliğinin anne fetal sağlık üzerindeki etkilerinin değerlendirilmesi. Selçuk Sağlık Dergisi, 6(2), 300-319. https://doi.org/10.70813/ssd.1627186
Lykins, A. D., Bonich, M., Sundaraja, C., & Cosh, S. (2024). Climate change anxiety positively predicts antenatal distress in expectant female parents. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 101, 102801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102801
Mercan, S., & Yıldız, S. (2021). Gebelikte aşırı sıcaklık maruziyetinin doğum sonuçlarına etkisi. Perinatoloji Dergisi, 29(1), 43–52.
NASA. (2020). Global climate change: Vital signs of the planet. NASA. Erişim adresi: https://climate.nasa.gov/ Erişim Tarihi: 25.02.2025
Nsengiyumva, R., Rose Mukarubayiza, M., Murekatete, C., & Meharry, P. (2020). Climate change associated with neonatal health risks: Rwandan nurses’ and midwives’ awareness and perceptions. Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 3(2), 261–272. https://doi.org/10.4314/rjmhs.v3i2.15
Öztürk Dönmez, R., & Kurt, Ş. (2023). İklim değişikliğinin anne ve yenidoğan sağlığı üzerine etkisi [The effect of climate change on maternal and newborn health]. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi, 16(1), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.46483/deuhfed.1008043
Roos, N., Kovats, S., Hajat, S., Filippi, V., Chersich, M., Luchters, S., ... & Wright, C. Y. (2021). Maternal and newborn health risks of climate change: A call for awareness and global action. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 100, 566–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14124
Samuels, L., Nakstad, B., Roos, N., Bonell, A., Chersich, M., Havenith, G., et al. (2022). Physiological mechanisms of the impact of heat during pregnancy and the clinical implications: Review of the evidence from an expert group meeting. International Journal of Biometeorology, 66, 1505–1513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02301-6
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.
Tümer, A. (2023). Hemşirelik öğrencilerinin iklim değişikliği farkındalık ve kaygı düzeyleri. Journal of Public Health Nursing, 12(3), 45–54.
United Nations, (2023). Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Erişim adresi: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment /climate-change/ Erişim tarihi: 19.11.2025
Yüce Yörük, E. A., & Varer Akpınar, C. (2023). Bir üniversitedeki öğrencilerin küresel iklim değişikliğine yönelik farkındalıkları. Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, 45(4), 471–479. https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1278028
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sümeyye AHİ, Dilber ERŞAN
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
