Equipping future climate and health advocates: piloting a locally focused health effects of climate change curriculum in providence county schools.

backgroundClimate change poses significant risks to human health, particularly for future generations, making it imperative to integrate climate education into school curricula. This study evaluates the feasibility of expanding the Health Effects of Climate Change Curriculum (HECCC) from Baltimore, MD, to urban youth in Providence County, Rhode Island. Developed by the Lung Health Ambassadors Programme (LHAP) at Johns Hopkins University, the HECCC is an interdisciplinary curriculum aimed at educating students on the health impacts of climate change and empowering them to take local action.

methodsDuring the 2023-2024 school year, the HECCC was adapted and piloted in five public schools in Providence County. The curriculum consisted of four lessons: climate science, air quality and heat, food and water, and health equity and environmental justice. Each lesson series discussed mental health impacts and was tailored to meet the unique needs of the participating schools, including a variety of delivery methods, with some schools integrating the curriculum into regular class hours and others as an after-school programme. Evaluation metrics included student reach, engagement, pre-and post survey results, and problem driven iterative adaptation (PDIA).

resultsThe HECCC was taught to 195 students from fourth through twelfth grades in Providence County schools. Students demonstrated engagement via non-verbal cues (e.g. smiling, nodding) and asked questions throughout the lessons. Based on preliminary pilot pre- and post-survey results from students (N = 10) and teachers (N = 3), the curriculum potentially increased students' knowledge of climate change, health impacts, and environmental justice, as well as their self-efficacy in addressing these issues. However, the surveys also potentially revealed an increase in students' climate anxiety. Results from teachers' surveys preliminarily indicated teachers' improved confidence in discussing climate change with students, but noted students' barriers to taking meaningful action, such as limited resources and time.

conclusionThis study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing a locally curated HECCC in an urban setting. The study elicited teacher recommendations for further expansion, broader language translations, alignment with local state standards, and increased survey participation, especially to evaluate impact on eco-anxiety. Future plans involve expanding educator resources such as an educator's toolkit to facilitate the curriculum's adaptation in other communities, especially in alignment with local state standards. Overall, the HECCC shows promise in fostering climate and health literacy among urban youth, equipping them to be informed advocates for local environmental justice.