Assessment of Environmental Literacy: A Case Study of Yazd Citizens' Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices in 2017

• Main Authors: Hamideh Mihanpour (Author), Maryam Khashij (Author), Zahra Shamsizadeh (Author), Maryam Gholami (Author), Aliasghar Ebrahimi (Author), Hassan Rezaeipandari (Author), Roya Malekahmadi (Author), Ala Arsham (Author), Fatemeh Parizan (Author), Vahid Jafari (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, 2020-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2322-5688; 2345-2609
• Keywords: environmental literacy; awareness; attitude; practices; yazd; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Journal of Community Health Research, Vol 9, Iss 3, Pp 149-158 (2020)

Introduction: With regard to the importance of the environment in sustainable development along with environmental literacy among citizens, the present study aimed to assess the levels of environmental literacy among citizens residing in the city of Yazd, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive--analytical study, the sample size was determined based on the Cochran formula of 410 individuals. The data selection tool was also a researcher-made questionnaire comprised of items on demographic characteristics information as well as levels of awareness, attitudes, and practices concerning the environment such as air pollution, waste management, etc. Face validity verified by 10 qualified individuals as the faculty members and Reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.93. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS 22. In this study, significance level was considered as 0.05. Results: awareness score was statistically significant in terms of age, level of education, and employment status (p<0.05). However, attitudes were only in a significant relationship with employment status (p=0.004). The relationship between practice score was also statistically significant with regard to age, marital status, and area of residence (p<0.05). A significant relationship was further observed between age and level of income and level of awareness, but there was no significant relationship considering attitudes (p>0.05). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between awareness, attitude, and practice scores (0.323≥ r ≥0.28, p<0.001). Conclusion: Although awareness among Yazd citizens on some environmental issues was at low levels, in general, their awareness specifically regarding health issues stemming from air pollution was proper. In view of the importance of environmental factors, it is necessary to conduct various research studies to identify and control these factors and find proper solutions.