Blenkinsop, Stephen;
Wardrope, Alistair;
Willis, Joseph;
Sisodiya, Sanjay M;
(2023)
Climate change: attitudes and concerns of, and learnings from, people with neurological conditions, carers and healthcare professionals.
Epilepsia
10.1111/epi.17824.
(In press).
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Epilepsia - 2023 - Blenkinsop - Climate change attitudes and concerns of and learnings from people with neurological.pdf - Accepted Version Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Concern about climate change amongst the general public is acknowledged by surveys. The healthcare sector must play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a changing climate, which will require the support of its stakeholders including those with epilepsy who may be especially vulnerable. It is important to understand this community's attitudes and concerns about climate change and societal responses. METHODS: A survey was made available to over 100,000 people amongst a section of the neurological community (patients, carers and clinicians), focussed on epilepsy. We applied quantitative analysis of Likert-scale responses supported by qualitative analyses of free-text questions with quantitative-dominant crossover analyses, used to identify consonance and dissonance between the two approaches. RESULTS: A small proportion of potential respondents completed the survey: of 126 respondents, 52 had epilepsy and 56 explicitly declared no illness. The survey indicated concern about the impact of climate change on health within this neurological community focussed on epilepsy. Over half of respondents considered climate change to have been bad for their health, rising to 68% in a sub-group with a neurological condition, and to over 80% expressing concern for the future. Most (>75%) believed that action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will lead to improved health and wellbeing. The crossover analysis identified cost and accessibility as significant barriers. SIGNIFICANCE: The high level of concern about climate change impacts and positive attitudes towards policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide support for climate action from the epilepsy community. However, if policies are implemented without considering the needs of patients, they risk being exclusionary, worsening inequalities, and further threatening neurological health and wellbeing.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Climate change: attitudes and concerns of, and learnings from, people with neurological conditions, carers and healthcare professionals |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1111/epi.17824 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.17824 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Extreme weather, Global warming, heat waves, neurology |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10181421 |
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