Attitude of US obstetricians and gynaecologists to global warming and medical waste

ObjectivesGlobal warming (or climate change) is a major public health issue, and health services are one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in high-income countries. Despite the scale of the health care sector’s resource consumption, little is known about the attitude of physicians and their willingness to participate in efforts to reduce the environmental impact of health services.MethodsA survey of 236 obstetricians and gynaecologists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Western Pennsylvania, USA. Survey responses were compared to Gallup poll data from the general population using a one-sample test of proportions, Fisher’s exact tests, Chi-square test, and logistic regression.ResultsPhysicians in obstetrics and gynaecology were more likely than the public (84% vs. 54%; p<0.001) to believe that global warming is occurring, that media portrayal of its seriousness is accurate, and that it is caused by human activities. Two-thirds of physicians felt the amount of surgical w...