Communicating climate change and health to specific target groups

Lena Lehrer; Lennart Hellmann; Hellen Temme; Leonie Otten; Johanna Hübenthal; Mattis Geiger; Mirjam A Jenny; Cornelia Betsch

doi:10.25646/11773

Communicating climate change and health to specific target groups

J Health Monit. 2023 Nov 29;8(Suppl 6):36-56. doi: 10.25646/11773. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Lena Lehrer^{1

2}, Lennart Hellmann^{2

1}, Hellen Temme^{1

2}, Leonie Otten^{2

1}, Johanna Hübenthal^{2

1}, Mattis Geiger^{1

2}, Mirjam A Jenny^{1

2

3

4}, Cornelia Betsch^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Implementation Research, Health Communication Working Group, Hamburg, Germany.
² Institute for Planetary Health Behaviour, University of Erfurt, Germany, Health Communication.
³ Institute of Psychology, University of Bamberg, Germany.
⁴ Harding Center for Risk Literacy, University of Potsdam, Germany.

PMID: 38105792
PMCID: PMC10722519
DOI: 10.25646/11773

Abstract

Background: The German status report on climate change and health 2023 identifies numerous health risks that are caused or exacerbated by climate change. One recommendation arising from the report is to strengthen education, information, and communication in the field. This article aims to serve as a basis for this.

Methods: Based on four survey waves (2022/2023) of the PACE study (Planetary Health Action Survey, n=3,845, online), the status of risk perception as well as the Readiness to Act against climate change in the adult population in Germany is examined and a target group analysis is carried out.

Results: Some health risks due to the climate crisis are perceived as comparatively low (e.g. mental health problems). People with higher risk perception show a higher Readiness to Act. Younger people, men, people with low education, and those living in smaller communities are identified as relevant target groups as they have a lower Readiness to Act. One third state that they never or hardly ever seek out specific information on climate change. Media use differs depending on target group.

Conclusions: Target group-specific communication can help to educate people about the health impacts of the climate crisis. In the discussion of this article, implications from existing literature are discussed in detail, which offer practical guidance for effective climate change communication.

Keywords: CLIMATE PROTECTION; COMMUNICATION; INFORMATION BEHAVIOUR; PLANETARY HEALTH; READINESS TO ACT.

Grants and funding

The PACE project is funded by the Klaus Tschira Foundation (#00.003.2022), the Leibniz Association (P106/2020), the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) via the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), as well as the partners’ own funds (University of Erfurt (UE), Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM)). The publication was coordinated through the project KlimGesundAkt, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Health (chapter 1504; title 54401 HJ2021; duration 07/2021–06/2024).