[Sustainability in preclinical emergency medicine : What is the influence of ethical considerations on sustainable and resource-saving practices in prehospital emergency medicine?]
Julia Johanna Grannemann, Martin Deicke, Eugen Latka, Bernd Strickmann, Gerrit Jansen
{"title":"[Sustainability in preclinical emergency medicine : What is the influence of ethical considerations on sustainable and resource-saving practices in prehospital emergency medicine?]","authors":"Julia Johanna Grannemann, Martin Deicke, Eugen Latka, Bernd Strickmann, Gerrit Jansen","doi":"10.1007/s00063-025-01322-4","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Sustainability in prehospital emergency medicine has received little attention, unlike in the hospital sector, where climate change and resource conservation are increasingly addressed. Ecological sustainability holds ethical significance within the Georgetown Mantra, as individual health must be viewed within the broader context of public health. The World Health Organization considers climate change the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An online survey of 23 questions was conducted among emergency medical personnel. This study focuses on three specific questions related to ethical considerations of sustainable practices in emergency medicine. Subgroup analyses were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 387 respondents (73% men, 27% women, aged 18-65 years, 17% physicians) participated. Most acknowledged climate change as a major health threat, but the 18-24 age group considered waste management less important in emergencies and prioritized individual health over public health. This age group also showed the lowest concern for climate change.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The low concern about climate change among 18- to 24-year-old emergency medical staff, along with their lower prioritization of waste separation, highlights the need for targeted education. This study is the first to show age- and profession-specific differences in the prioritization of individual versus public health, sustainable behavior, and the perceived relevance of climate change. Sustainable practices in emergency medicine could contribute to global public health and promote intergenerational justice. Ethical considerations play a critical role in balancing acute care with long-term sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":49019,"journal":{"name":"Medizinische Klinik-Intensivmedizin Und Notfallmedizin","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medizinische Klinik-Intensivmedizin Und Notfallmedizin","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00063-025-01322-4","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and objectives: Sustainability in prehospital emergency medicine has received little attention, unlike in the hospital sector, where climate change and resource conservation are increasingly addressed. Ecological sustainability holds ethical significance within the Georgetown Mantra, as individual health must be viewed within the broader context of public health. The World Health Organization considers climate change the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century.
Methods: An online survey of 23 questions was conducted among emergency medical personnel. This study focuses on three specific questions related to ethical considerations of sustainable practices in emergency medicine. Subgroup analyses were performed.
Results: A total of 387 respondents (73% men, 27% women, aged 18-65 years, 17% physicians) participated. Most acknowledged climate change as a major health threat, but the 18-24 age group considered waste management less important in emergencies and prioritized individual health over public health. This age group also showed the lowest concern for climate change.
Conclusion: The low concern about climate change among 18- to 24-year-old emergency medical staff, along with their lower prioritization of waste separation, highlights the need for targeted education. This study is the first to show age- and profession-specific differences in the prioritization of individual versus public health, sustainable behavior, and the perceived relevance of climate change. Sustainable practices in emergency medicine could contribute to global public health and promote intergenerational justice. Ethical considerations play a critical role in balancing acute care with long-term sustainability.
期刊介绍：
Medizinische Klinik – Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin is an internationally respected interdisciplinary journal. It is intended for physicians, nurses, respiratory and physical therapists active in intensive care and accident/emergency units, but also for internists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, neurologists, and pediatricians with special interest in intensive care medicine.
Comprehensive reviews describe the most recent advances in the field of internal medicine with special focus on intensive care problems. Freely submitted original articles present important studies in this discipline and promote scientific exchange, while articles in the category Photo essay feature interesting cases and aim at optimizing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In the rubric journal club well-respected experts comment on outstanding international publications. Review articles under the rubric "Continuing Medical Education" present verified results of scientific research and their integration into daily practice. The rubrics "Nursing practice" and "Physical therapy" round out the information.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
