Namibian Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare

Helga Elke Lister, Karien Mostert, Gopika Ramkilawon, Cathrine Oelschig, Olwethu Ntiyane, Erika Richardt, Deonelia Paulo Da Silva Rocha, Savannah Sheerin, Tshepang Phaahla, Daniel Ashipala, Louise Pretorius, Takaedza Munangatire and Filip Maric ()
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Helga Elke Lister: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Karien Mostert: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Gopika Ramkilawon: Department of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Cathrine Oelschig: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Olwethu Ntiyane: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Erika Richardt: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Deonelia Paulo Da Silva Rocha: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Savannah Sheerin: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Tshepang Phaahla: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Daniel Ashipala: Department of Nursing Sciences, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Namibia; Windhoek 13301, Namibia
Louise Pretorius: Department of Nursing Sciences, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Namibia; Windhoek 13301, Namibia
Takaedza Munangatire: Department of Nursing Sciences, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Namibia; Windhoek 13301, Namibia
Filip Maric: Department of Health and Care Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9020 Tromsø, Norway

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Among the many actions required to avert further intensification of today’s social, ecological and health crises is also the improvement of healthcare’s environmental sustainability, including in countries particularly vulnerable to such crises. The present study aimed to identify Namibian healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and practices, along with barriers and educational needs, as a foundation for context-relevant interventions. The study used a non-experimental, descriptive quantitative research design with an existing validated cross-sectional questionnaire as its data collection tool. Both purposive and snowball sampling were used to select healthcare professionals ( n = 71) to participate in the quantitative online questionnaire. R (version 4.2.1) software was used to analyse the data from the completed questionnaires. The results showed that the Namibian healthcare professionals participating in this study have basic knowledge of and positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability in healthcare. However, various barriers to implementing strategies towards environmental sustainability exist that currently prevent the implementation of relevant practices. These should be overcome by the Namibian health system by providing the necessary frameworks, policies, measures and resources to drive improvements in environmental sustainability. Additionally, future and current healthcare professionals must receive training across all professional education levels to enable implementation in practice and effective advocacy and planetary health promotion.

Keywords: knowledge; attitudes and practices; environmental sustainability; healthcare professionals; Namibia; Africa; sustainable healthcare; planetary health; healthcare leadership; low- and middle-income countries; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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