ArticleThe European journal of general practice2023
Patients' perceptions of climate-sensitive health counselling in primary care: Qualitative results from Germany.
Article in The European journal of general practice, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Should healthcare professionals include aspects of environmental sustainability in clinical decision-making? A systematic review of reasons.BMC medical ethics · 2025Pooled it
- From theory to practice: using the Normalization Process Theory and Theoretical Domains Framework to understand implementation of decarbonization in general practice.Family practice · 2025Pooled it
- Implementation of decarbonisation actions in general practice: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.BMJ open · 2025Pooled it
- Patients' perspectives in German general practice on discussing the environmental impact of medications: A qualitative study.The European journal of general practice · 2026Article
- Engaging patients in the decarbonisation of primary care: findings from a cross-sectional survey in England.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Implementing climate-sensitive health counselling: a qualitative study with physicians in Germany.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Final year medical students' expectations for medical education on climate change and planetary health - a qualitative study.Medical education online · 2025Article
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- Patients' Attitudes Towards Integrating Environmental Sustainability Into Healthcare Decision-Making: An Interview Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025Article
- Advocating for planetary health is an essential part of advocating for children's health.Pediatric research · 2024Review
- Climate-sensitive health counselling in Germany: a cross-sectional study about previous participation and preferences in the general public.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Focus on patient perspectives in climate action policies for healthcare. A German survey analysis on what patients are willing to do.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundClimate change is the greatest threat to global health in the twenty first century, yet combating it entails substantial health co-benefits. Physicians and other health professionals have not yet fully embraced their responsibilities in the climate crisis, especially about their communication with patients. While medical associations are calling on physicians to integrate climate change into health counselling, there is little empirical evidence about corresponding perceptions of patients.
objectivesThis study aimed to explore primary care patients' perceptions of climate-sensitive health counselling.
methodsFrom July to December 2021, 27 qualitative interviews with patients were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. A purposive sampling technique was applied to identify patients who had already experienced climate-sensitive health counselling in Germany.
resultsPatients' perceptions of climate-sensitive health counselling were characterised by a high level of acceptance, which was enhanced by stressing the link between climate change and health, being credible concerning physician's own climate-friendly lifestyle, building upon good therapeutic relationships, creating a sense of solidarity, and working in a patient centred manner. Challenges and risks for acceptance were patients' disinterest or surprise, time constraints, feared politicisation of consultations, and evoking feelings of guilt and shame.
conclusionThese findings suggest that primary care patients can accept climate-sensitive health counselling, if it follows certain principles of communication, including patient-centredness. Our findings can be useful for developing communication guidelines, respective policies as well as well-designed intervention studies, which are needed to test the health and environmental effects of climate-sensitive health counselling.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.