Pediatric Leaders' Perspectives on Climate Change Advocacy.

Abstract

Objective: Climate change is a leading global threat to pediatric health, but there is limited knowledge about appropriate professional actions in response. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends pediatricians engage in climate advocacy. Our objective is to explore pediatrician perceptions of their role in climate advocacy and to elucidate barriers and facilitators to fulfilling that role.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis, collected via teleconferencing software from September 2023 to February 2024. Participants were 18 practicing pediatricians serving as state or chapter AAP Members-At-Large, or committee leaders; recruitment was via email solicitation to those in Environmental Protection Agency eco-regions nationally.

Exclusions: non-practicing pediatricians; those in climate change or environmental health AAP roles RESULTS: 18 pediatricians (13 identifying as women [72%], 8 as White [44%], 10 working in academic settings [56%], 14 in General Pediatrics [78%]) were interviewed. Participants endorsed climate change advocacy as an appropriate pediatric role, especially to address health inequities. We identified three approaches to climate change advocacy: healthcare, community-based, and legislative advocacy. We identified five factors in feasibility: barriers included lack of time and politicization of climate change; facilitators included the pediatricians' ability to have difficult conversations, institutional support, and starting local.

Conclusion: Pediatric leaders regard climate advocacy as an important role for pediatricians who wish to promote health equity and child and family health. The barriers and facilitators to participating in different types of climate advocacy we identify provide potentially actionable approaches to supporting pediatricians in addressing climate change.

What's new: This study is the first qualitative exploration of United States pediatrician perspectives on climate change policy advocacy. These findings explore advocacy's importance for mitigating climate change's impacts on pediatric health and may guide future interventions to enhance pediatricians' advocacy engagement.