Planetary Health Education and Capacity Building for Healthcare Professionals in a Global Context: Current Opportunities, Gaps and Future Directions

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 18;19(18):11786. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191811786.

Abstract

The emerging concept of planetary health needs to be discussed in a more organized and sustainable way within the global public health and healthcare disciplines. Therefore, planetary health should be considered a cardinal component of the global academic framework for healthcare professionals. The availability of related curricula and courses is crucial to equip health professionals in this relatively new discipline of planetary health. In this review article, we aimed to explore published articles and online databases of courses to summarize the available planetary health education opportunities and discussions for health professionals, to identify the gaps in resource allocation and to suggest future recommendations. We observed a visible resource inequity in the global south with the lack of a universal planetary health module for healthcare professionals. Additionally, there is minimal inclusion of allied health disciplines in this learning process. We therefore recommend a dedicated network of motivated healthcare professionals and regional hubs with an agenda to ensure a comprehensive, uniform, and inclusive planetary health education curriculum and practice.

Keywords: climate change; curriculum development; global health; healthcare professionals; mini review; planetary health education; sustainable healthcare education.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Capacity Building*
  • Curriculum
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Global Health
  • Health Education
  • Health Personnel* / education
  • Humans

Grants and funding

The APC was funded by Norwegian Research School of Global Health (NRSGH).