Health professional and public perspectives on environmentally sustainable healthcare in Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction

Strategies for environmentally sustainable healthcare may be informed by considering key perspectives on how the health sector contributes to climate change in the Caribbean. This study assessed the views of health professionals (HP) and general adult public population (PP) on environmentally sustainable healthcare in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).

Methods

A cross-sectional design with a self-administered online survey was used to collect data from participants through convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics summarized the characteristics of the study population and survey responses were based on unweighted data.

Results

Of 799 eligible responses, 52 % were PP and 48 % were HP. Most participants only had some knowledge of the topic (HP 41 %, PP 32 %). Both groups reported practicing general sustainable behaviors more frequently outside of work than at work (p < 0.05). Both groups prioritized energy efficiency measures for sustainable healthcare, including optimizing energy use in healthcare facilities (HP: 88.8 %; PP: 87.4 %) and utilizing renewable energy sources (HP: 85.2 %; PP: 82.9 %). Barriers for HPs included insufficient support from colleagues (65.5 %) and limited knowledge/skills (57.1 %). Factors encouraging sustainability practices included understanding how it fit into professional roles (74 %), benefits to the wellbeing/health of patients (70.9 %), public (68.1 %) and personal (62.9 %), as well as, financial savings (61.3 %).

Conclusion

Although there was limited knowledge among participants on environmentally sustainable healthcare in T&T, participants were concerned about the environmental impact of the health sector and were willing to learn more. Addressing barriers and equipping HP with necessary knowledge and support to practice sustainability in the health sector may require a multidisciplinary approach with emphasis on education and awareness.