Climate-sensitive health counseling: Tips for general practitioners

Abstract

The negative health effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident. At the same time, climate change mitigation offers great potential for health promotion. In the medical setting, climate change and health issues can be integrated into counselling of patients in order to promote and protect individual and public health and to possibly pursue other climate- and health-relevant aims. Such “climate-sensitive health counseling” (CSHC) may concern the health impacts of climate change and related measures of health protection, counseling on healthy and climate-friendly lifestyles as well as societal aspects. When integrating CSHC into routine healthcare activities, communication strategies known from health as well as climate change communication can be used, such as patient-centered communication, motivational interviewing and a differentiated and open approach in addressing climate-related feelings.