Climate change and environmental health in undergraduate health degrees in Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the incorporation of climate change and environmental health courses in the curriculum grids of Medicine, Nursing, Nutrition and Clinical Psychology undergraduate courses in Latin American universities. METHODS: Descriptive and cross-sectional document review. Curriculum grids of the top ten Latin American universities were analyzed according to the rankings of QS Latin American University 2020, Times Higher Education World University 2020 and Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019. The presence of courses related to climate change and environmental health was sought in each curriculum grid. RESULTS: 104 of the 161 universities included in the study offered Medicine courses, 93 Nursing courses, 77 Nutrition courses and 118 Clinical Psychology courses. Most of the curriculum grids incorporated courses in public health and/or epidemiology (more than 70%); however, between 22% and 41% included courses on environmental health, and only one curriculum grid had a course on climate change in Medicine and Nursing (1%). CONCLUSIONS: Courses on climate change and environmental health have been scarcely introduced in the curriculum grids of the health field in Latin American universities. This could weaken the important role that health professionals play in providing health care to the population.

Climate change and environmental health in undergraduate health degrees in Latin America / Cambio climático y salud ambiental en carreras de salud de grado en Latinoamérica

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Analyze the incorporation of climate change and environmental health courses in the curriculum grids of Medicine, Nursing, Nutrition and Clinical Psychology undergraduate courses in Latin American universities. METHODS: Descriptive and cross-sectional document review. Curriculum grids of the top ten Latin American universities were analyzed according to the rankings of QS Latin American University 2020, Times Higher Education World University 2020 and Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019. The presence of courses related to climate change and environmental health was sought in each curriculum grid. RESULTS: 104 of the 161 universities included in the study offered Medicine courses, 93 Nursing courses, 77 Nutrition courses and 118 Clinical Psychology courses. Most of the curriculum grids incorporated courses in public health and/or epidemiology (more than 70%); however, between 22% and 41% included courses on environmental health, and only one curriculum grid had a course on climate change in Medicine and Nursing (1%). CONCLUSIONS: Courses on climate change and environmental health have been scarcely introduced in the curriculum grids of the health field in Latin American universities. This could weaken the important role that health professionals play in providing health care to the population.

RESUMEN OBJETIVO: Analizar la incorporación de cursos de cambio climático y salud ambiental en las mallas curriculares del grado en Medicina, Enfermería, Nutrición y Psicología clínica en universidades latinoamericanas. MÉTODOS: Revisión documental de tipo descriptiva y transversal. Se analizaron las mallas curriculares de las diez primeras universidades latinoamericanas según los rankings QS Latin American University 2020, Times Higher Education World University 2020 y Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019. En cada malla curricular se buscó la presencia de cursos relacionados al cambio climático y la salud ambiental. RESULTADOS: De las 161 universidades que se incluyeron en el estudio, 104 ofrecían la carrera de Medicina, 93 de Enfermería, 77 de Nutrición y 118 de Psicología clínica. La mayor parte de las mallas curriculares incorporaron cursos de salud pública y/o epidemiología (más del 70%), sin embargo, entre el 22% y el 41% incluyeron cursos de salud ambiental, y solo una malla curricular tuvo un curso en cambio climático en Medicina y Enfermería (1%). CONCLUSIONES: Los cursos de cambio climático y salud ambiental han sido introducidos, de forma escasa, en las mallas curriculares del campo de la salud en universidades latinoamericanas. Esto podría debilitar el importante rol que cumplen los profesionales de la salud en la asistencia sanitaria a la población.