Like all countries, Saudi Arabia is also not immune to the impact of climate change and environmental degradation (
25). Additionally, it is no longer an unknown phenomenon that the healthcare industry contributes significantly to environmental issues. According to a 2019 report by 'Health Care Without Harm,' the global healthcare industry's carbon footprint equals 4.4% of worldwide net emissions, identifying it as a critical instigator of climate change (
26). As part of the system, healthcare professionals must advocate and practice to contribute to global efforts toward mitigating climate change and environmental degradation (
3).
Findings from our study suggest that knowledge regarding environmental sustainability in healthcare among physical therapists is generally moderate to poor in Saudi Arabia. This result aligns with earlier research studies on healthcare professionals (
16,
27). We found a lack of general awareness regarding the Kingdom’s efforts toward achieving the Sustainable Development Plan 2030 and SDGs. Only a few participants reported having an integrated system for environmental sustainability in their setting. A lack of knowledge could have likely contributed to the substandard implementation of environment-friendly practices despite an understanding of the three Rs of waste management (reduce, reuse, and recycle). Research has documented that the absence of policies and frameworks, financial constraints, and time are supposedly the factors leading to suboptimal implementation of environmental sustainability in the healthcare sector (
16).
Interestingly, the majority of the participants demonstrated a positive attitude towards the adoption of environmental sustainability practices in the healthcare setting. They understood the importance and impact of recycling programs on the environment. They realized that it is a shared responsibility of the government (MOH), healthcare professionals, community leaders, and individuals to take care of the environment in the healthcare system. This agrees with an earlier research study (
16). However, the agreement towards the leadership role of physical therapists in advocating and implementing environmental sustainability in the healthcare sector met with a moderate response.
We also believe that the positive attitude among physical therapists must have been impacted by social media presence, besides personal motivation. Social media actively promotes the concept of global warming, climate change, and the degradation of our planet Earth. Only a few healthcare organizations were actively taking into account environmental sustainability in healthcare practices, according to participants. A lack of a conducive environment and exposure in the healthcare ecosystem to nurture such practices could be one of the reasons. This could also be why we witnessed a low number of participants applying the three Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) in their clinical practices and ensuring the reduction of non-biodegradable materials.
A systematic review by McGain and Naylor identified several themes for research, policy, and practice in hospitals for environmental sustainability: Design of a hospital, consumption of energy and water, procurement of goods, toxic and hazardous waste, travel, and the psychology and behavior of healthcare professionals. The study also mentioned that countries like the United Kingdom are heavily investing in determining the environmental impact of hospitals (
28). Notably, many of the participants in our study were proactive in turning off electrical devices and taps when not in use to preserve energy. They were able to manage personal disposal of biomedical waste.
A recent qualitative study from Kazakhstan on health sciences students communicated that personal motivation (beliefs and ethics) is an important determinant for healthcare professionals to select sustainable healthcare practices (
29). Another interesting finding we observed was the effect of gender and work setting on KAP of environmental sustainability in healthcare. This highlights how gender differences in exposure and work infrastructure could effectively influence personal motivation and implementation towards environmental health.
From our findings, we can deduce that poor knowledge among healthcare professionals and the absence of implementation of planetary health practices could be key obstacles to the penetration of environmental sustainability in healthcare settings. This has been confirmed previously in a study from South Africa by Lister et al. (
16). This provides evidence that educating healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia is a key strategy for achieving and accelerating the Kingdom’s Sustainable Development Plans for 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative. Furthermore, the apparent need for environmental sustainability implementation in healthcare policies calls for the introduction of immediate and persistent measures from higher hierarchy levels. Saudi Arabia stands to benefit from aligning with global practices, including the integration of environmental health awareness, education, and sustainable healthcare practices into its healthcare system (
6,
30).
5.1. Study Strengths
The main strength of our study is its relevance to the emerging topic of environmental sustainability, which is a relatively underexplored area in the healthcare setting, especially in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the study offers insight into the KAP of physical therapists towards environmental sustainability, which can bring about policy reforms and promote sustainability measures via awareness programs in healthcare settings. Moreover, this study employed a clear and reproducible survey method that can be reutilized and extended to conduct a large-scale research study. This will surely contribute to the growing pool of research in the field of environmental sustainability in healthcare settings.
5.2. Limitations
It is important to acknowledge that the present study was not devoid of limitations, and therefore, cautious interpretation of research findings is highly advised. First, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted with a small sample size of 354 respondents out of over 500 physical therapists to whom the questionnaire was sent. This limited participation may introduce non-response bias and affect the generalizability of our study findings. One possible reason for the small sample size of physical therapists could be the high workload and responsibilities, especially for those working in hospital settings.
Second, the study specifically targeted physical therapists; therefore, our findings cannot be extended beyond this group of healthcare professionals due to the diverse nature of work and responsibilities. Third, the small sample size was further highlighted by sub-cohorts of physical therapists working in different settings (academic, day-care/home healthcare, and hospital). This also limits the relevance of the findings in a broader context to this sub-cohort of physical therapists.
Fourth, we used a self-reporting survey questionnaire, which is subject to reporting bias, and therefore, some of the responses might not reflect the actual representation of the respondents. Additionally, results might have been affected by selection bias. This is because physical therapists who support the cause of environmental sustainability might have been, even negligibly, psychologically influenced to participate in the study disproportionately.
Finally, the study did not engage with psychometrics experts to test the reliability and validity of the survey instrument. As such, the wording of some questions and the overall effectiveness of the survey in accurately measuring knowledge and practices related to environmental sustainability may be compromised.
5.3. Recommendations
Based on the above research limitations, we underline the following recommendations for researchers to consider:
Future research should engage with psychometrics experts to refine the survey instrument. This includes improving the wording of questions and conducting reliability and validity testing to ensure the survey effectively measures the intended constructs.
Hospitals and healthcare organizations should incorporate environmental sustainability into their training programs, including both initial education and ongoing professional development. This will help enhance the understanding and application of sustainable practices among healthcare professionals.
Besides education, there should be a focus on developing and implementing policies that encourage healthcare practices aimed at mitigating climate change. These policies should include preventive measures and sustainable practices tailored to the specific needs and context of the healthcare sector.
Given Saudi Arabia's unique environmental challenges, future research should aim to generate context-specific evidence on the impact of climate change and sustainability practices in the region. This will help in understanding local dynamics and developing targeted strategies.
Finally, further collaborative research is required to explore the national dynamics of KAP of healthcare professionals regarding environmental sustainability to offer context-driven recommendations. Conducting further in-depth multivariate analyses (e.g., logistic regression) is recommended to explore the independent effects of sociodemographic variables, which is not explicitly mentioned.
5.4. Conclusions
To conclude, the findings of the present study revealed that knowledge regarding environmental sustainability in healthcare is moderate to poor among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia. However, a positive attitude and the practice of measures, on both individual and organizational levels, were also witnessed. It is a suitable time to make a concerted effort to build a teaching agenda related to planetary health, climate change, and environmental sustainability to produce a cadre of healthcare workforce proficient in environmental sustainability practices.