Nursing students’ knowledge about climate change and its effect on health: A systematic review

This systematic review aimed to investigate the extent of nursing students' knowledge regarding climate change and its impact on health. A comprehensive and systematic review was conducted across several international electronic databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The search employed keywords based on Medical Subject Headings, including "knowledge", "climate change", "nursing students", and "health". The search period was extended from these databases’ inception until May 28, 2024. The quality of the studies included in this review was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS tool). The systematic review encompassed five cross-sectional studies, collectively involving 2,150 nursing students. Among these participants, females constituted 75.81%. The geographical distribution of the studies included in this systematic review spanned several countries: Egypt (n=3), Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Palestine (n=1), China (n=1), and the United States (n=1). Findings from three studies indicate that nursing students’ mean knowledge level regarding climate change’s impact on health is 63.70%. The knowledge level of nursing students regarding climate change’s impact on health was moderate. Factors including education level, practice, academic year, gender, and rural areas were related to nursing students’ knowledge about climate change and its effect on health. Policymakers and healthcare administrators must enhance the educational framework by prioritizing factors that influence the knowledge base of nursing students. These factors include academic level, geographic location (such as rural areas), gender, and clinical practice experience.