Sustainable healthcare knowledge, experience and curricular perspectives: a cross-sectional survey within the European Young Family Doctors Movement network.

Abstract (English)

BACKGROUND: The healthcare sector contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, and family doctors are well placed to reduce this impact, but their preparedness depends on adequate education in sustainable healthcare. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe self-reported knowledge of sustainable healthcare and perceived educational gaps among family doctors and trainees affiliated with the European Young Family Doctors Movement (EYFDM) network. METHODS: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was distributed through EYFDM. The instrument comprised one open-ended question, five knowledge items (four single-best-answer and one multiselect), and two yes/no items. Open-ended responses were scored independently by three authors using a rubric anchored to the World Health Organization definition of environmentally sustainable health systems. Data were analysed in SPSS v27. RESULTS: A total of 130 family doctors and trainees from 15 European countries responded; 83.8% came from three countries (the Netherlands, T&#xfc;rkiye, and the UK). Of those who answered, 64.7% (75/116) reported no prior experience with sustainable healthcare, and 72.5% (58/80) had received no related teaching during training. The median total knowledge score was 3/5 [interquartile range (IQR) 2]. Scores were higher in participants aged under 45 years (P < .001), in female respondents (P = .014), and in trainees (P < .001). Nearly everyone who responded agreed that planetary health should be included in the family medicine curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Within this EYFDM sample, prior formal education in sustainable healthcare was uncommon, and interest in further training was high. Findings are exploratory and not generalizable to all European family doctors, but they support the development of validated instruments and the integration of planetary health into family medicine curricula.