Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care
AbstractBackground The German healthcare system is responsible for 5,2% of the national emissions of greenhouse gases. Therefore, mitigation actions to reduce the carbon footprint are crucial. However, there have been few approaches to achieve this in German primary care.Objectives This study aimed...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of General Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/13814788.2023.2232946 |
| _version_ | 1797403197108649984 |
|---|---|
| author | Valeska Fehrer Regina Poß-Doering Aline Weis Michel Wensing Joachim Szecsenyi Nicola Litke |
| author_facet | Valeska Fehrer Regina Poß-Doering Aline Weis Michel Wensing Joachim Szecsenyi Nicola Litke |
| author_sort | Valeska Fehrer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | AbstractBackground The German healthcare system is responsible for 5,2% of the national emissions of greenhouse gases. Therefore, mitigation actions to reduce the carbon footprint are crucial. However, there have been few approaches to achieve this in German primary care.Objectives This study aimed to identify environmental impact-reducing strategies of German primary care practices.Methods During the summer of 2021, a qualitative study was conducted using interviews and focus groups with experts in primary care across Germany, such as physicians, medical assistants, health scientists and experts on the health system level. Verbatim transcribed data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis.Results The sample comprised 26 individual interviews and two focus groups with a total of N = 40 participants. Findings provide a first overview of pursued mitigation strategies and contextual factors influencing their implementation. Strategies referred to the use of water and energy, recycling and waste management, supply chains and procurement, digitisation, mobility, patient care, behavioural changes and system level. Implementing sustainable actions in daily care was considered expensive and often unfeasible due to lack of staff, time and restrictive hygiene regulations. Participants called for more instruction on implementing mitigating actions, for example, through websites, podcasts, guidelines or quality indicators.Conclusion This study’s findings can support the development of future environmental impact-reducing strategies in primary care. Potential options for guidance and support should be considered to facilitate sustainability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:36:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f9aae62eb99143c19cc2ce0607bf1333 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1381-4788 1751-1402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:36:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of General Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-f9aae62eb99143c19cc2ce0607bf13332023-12-06T11:11:04ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of General Practice1381-47881751-14022023-12-0129110.1080/13814788.2023.2232946Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary careValeska Fehrer0Regina Poß-Doering1Aline Weis2Michel Wensing3Joachim Szecsenyi4Nicola Litke5Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyAbstractBackground The German healthcare system is responsible for 5,2% of the national emissions of greenhouse gases. Therefore, mitigation actions to reduce the carbon footprint are crucial. However, there have been few approaches to achieve this in German primary care.Objectives This study aimed to identify environmental impact-reducing strategies of German primary care practices.Methods During the summer of 2021, a qualitative study was conducted using interviews and focus groups with experts in primary care across Germany, such as physicians, medical assistants, health scientists and experts on the health system level. Verbatim transcribed data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis.Results The sample comprised 26 individual interviews and two focus groups with a total of N = 40 participants. Findings provide a first overview of pursued mitigation strategies and contextual factors influencing their implementation. Strategies referred to the use of water and energy, recycling and waste management, supply chains and procurement, digitisation, mobility, patient care, behavioural changes and system level. Implementing sustainable actions in daily care was considered expensive and often unfeasible due to lack of staff, time and restrictive hygiene regulations. Participants called for more instruction on implementing mitigating actions, for example, through websites, podcasts, guidelines or quality indicators.Conclusion This study’s findings can support the development of future environmental impact-reducing strategies in primary care. Potential options for guidance and support should be considered to facilitate sustainability.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/13814788.2023.2232946Climate changeprimary caremitigation strategiesclimate resilienceclimate actions |
| spellingShingle | Valeska Fehrer Regina Poß-Doering Aline Weis Michel Wensing Joachim Szecsenyi Nicola Litke Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care European Journal of General Practice Climate change primary care mitigation strategies climate resilience climate actions |
| title | Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care |
| title_full | Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care |
| title_fullStr | Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care |
| title_short | Climate change mitigation: Qualitative analysis of environmental impact-reducing strategies in German primary care |
| title_sort | climate change mitigation qualitative analysis of environmental impact reducing strategies in german primary care |
| topic | Climate change primary care mitigation strategies climate resilience climate actions |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/13814788.2023.2232946 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT valeskafehrer climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare AT reginapoßdoering climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare AT alineweis climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare AT michelwensing climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare AT joachimszecsenyi climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare AT nicolalitke climatechangemitigationqualitativeanalysisofenvironmentalimpactreducingstrategiesingermanprimarycare |