Does Environmental Literacy Affect Carbon Footprint Awareness? The Case of Nursing Students

Background Climate change poses a substantial threat to global health and presents multifaceted challenges to healthcare systems. Addressing these issues requires the integration of environmental and planetary health concepts into nursing education, equipping future nurses with the competencies necessary for climate-responsive healthcare delivery. This study aims to examine the association between environmental literacy and carbon footprint awareness among undergraduate nursing students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 402 undergraduate nursing students from the Faculty of Health Sciences at a public university in eastern Turkey. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected voluntarily and anonymously using the “Environmental Literacy for Adults with Carbon Footprint Scale in Nursing Students.” Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed. Results The mean environmental literacy score was 79.01 ± 10.35. A statistically significant and moderately strong positive correlation was observed between environmental literacy and carbon footprint awareness [r (402) = .694, p < .001]. The regression analysis demonstrated that environmental literacy significantly predicted carbon footprint awareness (F (1, 401) = 371.608, p < .001), accounting for 48% of the variance (R = 0.698; R² = 0.480). Conclusion The results indicate that nursing students exhibit a high level of environmental literacy, which significantly contributes to their awareness of carbon footprints. Integrating environmental literacy into nursing curricula may enhance students’ abilities to effectively address the health implications of climate change.