Public Perceptions of Climate Change and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Abstract

Background: Healthcare has a major impact on climate change, and surgery is among the most energy-intensive hospital practices. Although most Americans believe climate change is happening, little is known regarding public awareness of the impact of healthcare on climate change and how this may impact perceptions of plastic surgery. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to adults in the United States using Amazon Mechanical Turk in December 2021 to assess public perceptions of climate change, healthcare, and plastic surgery. Incomplete responses were excluded from analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of responses. Results: There were 890 complete responses. Most participants strongly agreed or agreed that climate change is happening (89%). Fewer believed that healthcare has an impact on climate change (62%), with greater odds among respondents with an associate’s degree or higher (odds ratio 2.8, P < 0.001). After they were given information about the impact of healthcare on climate change, most respondents were more worried about the effects of cosmetic plastic surgery (64%). Many respondents would be willing to engage in personal climate change mitigation measures if undergoing surgery and pay higher professional fees to support sustainable hospital practices. Conclusions: Most Americans believe climate change is happening, but fewer believe healthcare has an impact on climate change. Knowledge regarding the impact of healthcare and surgery on climate change may make patients more worried about the effects of plastic surgery on climate change, but patients may be willing to personally mitigate climate impacts of surgery.

Health Care Value in Plastic Surgery Practice

“…Despite being a relatively small specialty, plastic surgery care does not occur in isolation; accordingly, plastic surgeons should concern themselves with injury prevention, comorbidity management, and diagnostic efficiency that all contribute to high-value care. Furthermore, with increasing federal environmental regulations 80 and market pressure from consumers, future value in health care will likely involve changes in behavior and funding mechanisms (eg, consumer interest in paying premiums for sustainable practices 81 ) to reduce health care’s environmental impact. By applying a value-based framework both to their own work and on a larger scale, plastic surgeons can influence not just patient outcomes within their own specialty, but also patients’ interactions with the overall health care system and the role of health care in society.…”