Free online courses teach health professionals about climate change and health

The program helps them talk about the problem – and how it affects health – with patients.

Transcript:

Doctors and nurses can help educate patients about the links between climate change and health problems like asthma, heat stress, and Lyme disease.

But research shows that many health care providers hesitate to raise the topic with their patients. Some feel unqualified to discuss it.

Fulgencio-Turner: “Another issue … is just feeling like there’s not enough time to talk about climate change.”

Ben Fulgencio-Turner is with Climate for Health, a program led by the nonprofit ecoAmerica.

The group offers a free online course and other resources for health care professionals about the links between climate and health and how to easily bring that information into the conversations they’re already having with patients.

Fulgencio-Turner: “The goal of that is to both get over that initial barrier … of feeling like this is outside of their lane or they don’t know enough, as well as giving a structure and framework for having climate conversations.”

For example, talking about the risks of exposure to extreme heat or wildfire smoke can fit right into a conversation about reducing asthma triggers or staying safe during a pregnancy.

So his group is helping build a network of doctors and nurses who are better prepared to protect patients in a warming world.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media