Climate Change and Health Hazards: Where Pharmacy Students in Iraq Stand on the Way to Sustainability?

Abstract

Background: Climate change is one of our most significant global health threats. In 2019, the United Nations Environment Program ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change and desertification. Climate change is already having a significant impact on human health. Understanding the level of awareness among Iraqi pharmacy students about climate change and its relationship with health issues can help to address this critical implication. Objectives: This study aims to assess the awareness of pharmacy students in Iraq regarding climate change and its associated health hazards. Methods: An online questionnaire consisting of dichotomous and five-point Likert-scale questions was designed. The questionnaire was distributed among various official Telegram groups of pharmacy students. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: A total of 106 participants participated in the study, with the majority (63.2%) female. While 93.4% of the participants were aware of climate change, most of them learned about it through the Internet (77.4%) and television (61.3%). Despite the high awareness level, only 47.2% consider acting against climate change important. Regarding health, participants suggested that respiratory diseases and skin and infectious diseases are most likely to escalate due to climate change. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that pharmacy students in Iraq have excellent theoretical awareness of climate change and its associated health hazards; however, such awareness is not being translated into action. This issue could be addressed through national campaigns and some changes to the academic curriculum.