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Health-Related Education for Sustainability: Public Health Workforce Needs and the Role of Higher Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

Rebecca Patrick ,
Jonathan Kingsley  and
Teresa Capetola
Rebecca Patrick*
Affiliation:
School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Jonathan Kingsley
Affiliation:
Indigenous Health Equity Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Teresa Capetola
Affiliation:
School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Rebecca Patrick, Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development Health, Nature and Sustainability Research Group, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia. Email: rebecca.patrick@deakin.edu.au
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Abstract

Public health practitioners have important roles to play in addressing environmental sustainability imperatives that have an impact on human health. Yet, to date, the extent to which practitioners are willing and able to address these issues is an understudied subject. This article draws on the findings of two qualitative studies involving 49 interviews with public health and/or sustainability practitioners and academics from Australia to highlight the capacity-building needs of the sector within the ‘health and sustainability’ space. The findings of this study raise several issues for workforce development and partnership building, contending that content on environmental sustainability should be integrated into all university courses. Underscoring gaps and opportunities, the article also reflects themes in the literature in relation to health-related education for sustainability; in particular, requirements for generic and transferable professional competencies and the role of universities in knowledge exchange and creation.

Keywords

environmental sustainabilityhigher educationhealth
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , July 2016 , pp. 192 - 205
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

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