Effectiveness of Psycho-educational Program on Climate Change Distress and Risk Perception Among Older Adults.

Alexandria University80 enrolled

Overview

Research design The study followed a quasi-experimental study with two groups (study and control group) with a pre-test and post-test. Setting: This study was conducted at three elderly clubs at Damanhour city, El-Behaira Governorate, Egypt. These clubs are affiliated to the Ministry of Social Solidarity, Egypt namely Ahbab Allah, Alfady, and Alrabie Clubs. These clubs opens seven days per week from 9 am to 12 pm. The total attendance rate of older adults in these clubs amounted to 213; 93 older adults in Alfady Club, 70 in Ahbab Allah Club and 50 older adults in Alrabie Club.

* An Official letter from the Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University was directed to the director of the Ministry of Social Solidarity in El -Behira governorate to obtain permission to conduct the study, then to the directors of the three elderly clubs in Damanhour city to obtain their approval to carry out the study. * A Socio-Demographic Data and clinical Structured Interview Schedule (tool II) was developed by the researchers based on review of related literature. The Arabic version of tool I (Mini-Mental State Examination) and tool IV (Risk Perception Scale) were used in this study. * The study subjects who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were interviewed individually in the garden of the clubs in order to collect the necessary data (tool I, II, III, and IV). Then, the researcher interviewed the clients in group composed of 8 older adults to implement program. Each session taken about 30-45 minutes.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Interventions

Psycho-educational ProgramBEHAVIORAL

This program consisted of five (5) sessions during two weeks. * Session 1: introduction and basic information about Climate Change * Session 2: causes and factors that contribute to climate change by humans and nature * Session 3: explain climate change risks, describe and explain the impact of climate change on elder health and well-being. * Session 4: teaching proper behaviors that contribute the most to climate-driving emissions. * Session 5: learning how adapting and coping with climate change. Adaptation includes a range of coping actions that individuals may take, as well as psychological processes (e.g. emotion management, problem solving, and cognitive reframing responses) that influence reactions to (and preparations for) adverse impacts of climate change, including chronic environmental conditions and extreme events.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Climate Change Distress and Impairment Scale (CC-DIS):

It was developed by Hepp et al., (2022) to assesses level of different types of affect in response to climate (Anger, Anxiety, and Sadness) in addition, climate change impairment (CCI) that cover general, social, and work related impairment. It consists of 23 items with 9 statements (3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, and 21) from the scale are negatively stated and reversely scored. Factor analysis of the scale yielded four factors. Factor I consist of 5 statements (1, 4, 7, 10, and 13) describing anger. Factor II consisting of 5 statements (2, 5, 8, 11, and 15) that measure anxiety. Factor III, consisting of 5 statements (3, 6, 9, 12, and 14) is related to sadness, and finally 8 statements measure impairment.

Time frame: 2 weeks

Risk Perception Scale:

The scale was adapted from van der Linden (2015) who based his measurements on previous work by Bord et al. (2000) and Leiserowitz (2006). It was translated into Arabic language by Elshirbiny (2018) and proved to be valid. The scale comprises 8 statements. In the first question respondents were asked to rate how likely they thought it was that they would personally experience serious threats to their wellbeing. The second question asked how likely it was that climate change would have harmful long-term impacts on society. The two questions used a 7-point scale ranging from very unlikely (1) to very likely (7). The following four questions asked the respondents to rate how serious a threat climate change was to the natural environment, how serious the current impacts of climate change around the world were, and how serious the threat of climate change was to them personally and to Egypt. A 7-point scale was used ranging from not serious at all (1) to very serious (7).