Degree of Knowledge and Commitment of the Spanish Podiatry Community to Green Podiatry: A Preliminary Report

Lara Gómez-Ruiz, Alfonso Martínez-Nova, Eduardo Simón-Pérez and Juan Francisco Morán-Cortés ()
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Lara Gómez-Ruiz: Nursing Department, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda, Virgen del Puerto, 2, 10600 Plasencia Cáceres, Spain
Alfonso Martínez-Nova: Nursing Department, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda, Virgen del Puerto, 2, 10600 Plasencia Cáceres, Spain
Eduardo Simón-Pérez: Podiatry Grupo Recoletas, C/Angustias n 17, 47003 Valladolid, Spain
Juan Francisco Morán-Cortés: Nursing Department, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda, Virgen del Puerto, 2, 10600 Plasencia Cáceres, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: Climate change is real and we are witnessing its consequences, such as rising temperatures, water scarcity, and sea-level rise, among other significant impacts. As healthcare professionals, podiatrists should be concerned about climate change; however, they still contribute to the damage caused. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the level of awareness among podiatrists regarding this issue and determine their attitudes toward the climate change process. The study involved conducting a survey comprising a series of questions, including personal information, Likert-scale questions, and short questions to evaluate attitudes toward environmental sustainability in their workplace and how they contribute to the climate change process. The questions addressed their commuting habits to determine sustainability, the number of hours of physical exercise per week, and their clinical attitudes, such as prescribing unnecessary treatments or emphasizing sports as the primary treatment. The results revealed that nearly 89% of the respondents were unaware of ecological podiatry or shoe recycling. Regarding clinical attitudes, 31.1% of the respondents stated that they prescribe sports as the primary treatment for all their patients, while 37.9% do so in most cases. They also tend to avoid prescribing unnecessary treatments, with 44.9% stating that they never prescribe them unless absolutely necessary. In conclusion, based on this survey, Spanish podiatrists do not undertake favorable actions for climate change and lack knowledge of the concept of “ecological podiatry”. To improve the situation, efforts should focus on waste reduction, eliminating unnecessary treatments, and promoting and practicing ecological podiatry.

Keywords: climatic change; podiatry; green; shoes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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