Students’ Awareness towards Climate Change: A Study of Climate Change Effects on Human Health in Nepal

Abstract

Climate change and its impact on human health and awareness constitute a set of complex and serious consequences to be tackled by an individual country. It is not merely an environmental issue, but it is also a threat that goes beyond the national borders. The purpose of this study is to assess the awareness on effect of climate change on human health among the secondary level students of Biratnagar. The research design was descriptive cross-sectional and data was collected from 110 samples through the census method using the semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Among the respondents, 84.5% knew that climate change can be prevented. Moreover, 50.9% perceived that climate change is an unbreakable process; 77.3% of them perceived climate change is the cause of new disease; and 81.8% of them are concerned about preventing the effects of climate change on human health. Among the respondents, 10% had adequate awareness. The study concluded that half of the secondary level students have inadequate level of awareness on effects of climate change on human health in Biratnagar. It is recommended that awareness should be increased by involving them in the project work activities and reinforcing the component of curriculum.