Keywords: Carbon footprint, One Health, family medicine

Background:

Comprehensive human health is not achievable without environmental health. Family medicine residents serve across diverse roles, from rural healthcare management to administrative responsibilities in central institutions. Sustainable healthcare practices, which include reducing carbon emissions and prioritizing eco-friendly solutions, are vital to public health. Family physicians can lead such initiatives by integrating the One Health approach, addressing human, animal, and environmental health collectively.

Aim of the study:

This study aimed to assess carbon footprint awareness among family medicine residents, analyze the relationship between awareness and individual behaviors, and identify barriers to sustainability in health care practices

Methodology:

A survey of 39 questions was conducted among 137 family medicine residents in Ankara (AHU: Full-time; SAHU: Contracted). Participants were classified into low (<57) and high (≥57) awareness groups based on their carbon footprint awareness scores. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results:

Among participants, 89.8% showed high awareness. SAHU residents had significantly higher scores than AHU residents (p = 0.006). The mean age of AHU participants was 29.17 years, compared to 43.07 years for SAHU. Professional experience averaged 10.65 years, with a significant positive correlation between experience and awareness (r = 0.373). Married participants and those with children had higher awareness levels, with scores increasing as the number of children rise. Recycling and prioritizing sustainable practices correlated with significantly higher scores (p = 0.000). A positive relationship was found between telemedicine use and awareness.55.5% of participants had low belief in the impact of individual efforts on climate change.

Conclusions:

Individual efforts to reduce carbon footprints are often hindered by a lack of societal support. Institutional and government supports are critical for fostering environmentally conscious behaviors. Family health centers can serve as key mechanisms in promoting sustainability, aligning with the core values of the medical profession.