The awareness of citizens concerning the health risks caused by environmental pollution is growing, but studies on determinants of pro-environmental behaviors have rarely examined health-related aspects. In this study, we investigated these determinants using data from a large survey among Italian university students (15 Universities: 4778 filled questionnaires). Besides the health-related aspects, represented by environmental health risk perception and functional health literacy, we considered social and demographic characteristics (gender, area of residence, sources of information, trust in institutional and non-institutional subjects, and students’ capacity of positive actions, indicated as internal locus of control). The attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors were positive for more than 70% of students and positively related with health risk perception, internal locus of control, and health literacy. The correspondence between the positive attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors and the real adoption of such behaviors was approximately 20% for most behaviors, except for the separate collection of waste (60%). Such a discrepancy can be attributable to external obstacles (i.e., lack of time, costs, lack of support). The health-related aspects were linked to the pro-environmental attitudes, but to a lesser extent to pro-environmental behaviors, owing to the complexity of their determinants. However, they should be taken in account in planning education interventions.

Pro-environmental behaviors: Determinants and obstacles among italian university students / Carducci, A.; Fiore, M.; Azara, A.; Bonaccorsi, G.; Bortoletto, M.; Caggiano, G.; Calamusa, A.; De Donno, A.; De Giglio, O.; Dettori, M.; Di Giovanni, P.; Di Pietro, A.; Facciola, A.; Federigi, I.; Grappasonni, I.; Izzotti, A.; Libralato, G.; Lorini, C.; Montagna, M. T.; Nicolosi, L. K.; Paladino, G.; Palomba, G.; Petrelli, F.; Schiliro, T.; Scuri, S.; Serio, F.; Tesauro, M.; Verani, M.; Vinceti, M.; Violi, F.; Ferrante, M.. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. - ISSN 1660-4601. - 18:6(2021), p. 3306. [10.3390/ijerph18063306]

Pro-environmental behaviors: Determinants and obstacles among italian university students

Azara A.;Dettori M.;
2021-01-01

Abstract

The awareness of citizens concerning the health risks caused by environmental pollution is growing, but studies on determinants of pro-environmental behaviors have rarely examined health-related aspects. In this study, we investigated these determinants using data from a large survey among Italian university students (15 Universities: 4778 filled questionnaires). Besides the health-related aspects, represented by environmental health risk perception and functional health literacy, we considered social and demographic characteristics (gender, area of residence, sources of information, trust in institutional and non-institutional subjects, and students’ capacity of positive actions, indicated as internal locus of control). The attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors were positive for more than 70% of students and positively related with health risk perception, internal locus of control, and health literacy. The correspondence between the positive attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors and the real adoption of such behaviors was approximately 20% for most behaviors, except for the separate collection of waste (60%). Such a discrepancy can be attributable to external obstacles (i.e., lack of time, costs, lack of support). The health-related aspects were linked to the pro-environmental attitudes, but to a lesser extent to pro-environmental behaviors, owing to the complexity of their determinants. However, they should be taken in account in planning education interventions.
2021
Pro-environmental behaviors: Determinants and obstacles among italian university students / Carducci, A.; Fiore, M.; Azara, A.; Bonaccorsi, G.; Bortoletto, M.; Caggiano, G.; Calamusa, A.; De Donno, A.; De Giglio, O.; Dettori, M.; Di Giovanni, P.; Di Pietro, A.; Facciola, A.; Federigi, I.; Grappasonni, I.; Izzotti, A.; Libralato, G.; Lorini, C.; Montagna, M. T.; Nicolosi, L. K.; Paladino, G.; Palomba, G.; Petrelli, F.; Schiliro, T.; Scuri, S.; Serio, F.; Tesauro, M.; Verani, M.; Vinceti, M.; Violi, F.; Ferrante, M.. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. - ISSN 1660-4601. - 18:6(2021), p. 3306. [10.3390/ijerph18063306]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/245754
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