Medicine for a Changing Planet: Climate Distress & Ecoanxiety

Friday, December 15, 2023, 12:00 AM - Monday, December 14, 2026, 11:59 PM, On Demand

The Medicine for a Changing Planet collaboration emerged from a collective concern regarding the pressing challenges posed by climate change and disruptions to Earth's natural systems. Recognizing the urgent need for innovative healthcare approaches and enhanced skills among healthcare providers, the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health has partnered with the University of Washington. Together, they have curated a collection of online case studies, which highlight diverse clinical scenarios shaped by environmental challenges, emphasizing the essential skills clinicians must develop to deliver effective care in an ever-changing world.

This case, focusing on climate distress and ecoanxiety, will guide participants through a clinical encounter to understand the patient's health challenges, and how to respond.

Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Expiration Date: December, 14th, 2026
Estimated Time to Complete: 1.5 hours
Registration Fee: FREE

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (1.50 hours), AAPA Category 1 CME credits (1.50 hours), ANCC Contact Hours (1.50 hours), Non-Physician Participation Credit (1.50 hours)

1. Analyze the range of ways environment-related emotions – including climate distress and ecoanxiety – are experienced.
2. Examine how climate and environment-driven emotional distress can be embedded within other presenting symptoms in clinical practice.
3. Identify factors that enhance or diminish individual resilience.
4. Identify interventions to cope with climate-related emotions and eco-distress.

In support of improving patient care, Stanford Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

Credit Designation 
American Medical Association (AMA) 
Stanford Medicine designates this Enduring Material for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) 
Stanford Medicine designates this Enduring Material for a maximum of 1.5 ANCC contact hours.  

American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
Stanford Medicine has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This enduring activity is designated for 1.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until December 14th, 2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. 

.Accessibility Statement
 Stanford University School of Medicine is committed to ensuring that its programs, services, goods and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.  If you have needs that require accommodations, please contact the CME office.

Cultural and Linguistic Competency
The planners and speakers of this CME activity have been encouraged to address cultural issues relevant to their topic area for the purpose of complying with California Assembly Bill 1195. Moreover, the Stanford University School of Medicine Multicultural Health Portal contains many useful cultural and linguistic competency tools including culture guides, language access information and pertinent state and federal laws.  You are encouraged to visit the Multicultural Health Portal: https://laneguides.stanford.edu/multicultural-health

References/Bibliography
Albrecht, G. et al. Solastalgia: the distress caused by environmental change.  (2007) Australas Psychiatry. 15 Suppl 1:S95-8. doi: 10.1080/10398560701701288

Albrecht, G. (2005) Solastalgia, a new concept in human health and identity. Pan Activism Nature. 3 . 41-55

Clayton S, Manning CM, Krygsman K, Speiser M. Mental health and our changing climate: impacts, implications, and guidance. American Psychological Association, and ecoAmerica, 2017. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/mental-health-climate.pdf.

Doffey, Y, et al  (2021)  Understanding Eco-anxiety: A systematic scoping review…..
J of CC and Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100047

Hawkins, R. (2021). Debate: Inequalities within understanding of Eco-Distress. Association Child and Adolescent Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12528

Lawrence E, Thompson R, Fontana G, Jennings N. The impact of climate change on mental health and emotional wellbeing: current evidence and implications for policy and practice. Grantham Institute Imperial College London Briefing paper, 2021. 10.25561/88568

Schneider-Mayerson M, Leong KL. Eco-reproductive concerns in the age of climate change. Clim Change 2020;163:1007-23. doi:10.1007/s10584-020-02923-y.

Hickman, C, et al (2021) Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. Lancet Planetary Health.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3

Jimenez, M, et al (2021) Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 18(9): 4790.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18094790

Popular press: “Got Climate Anxiety? These People Are Doing Something About It,”,  The New York Times “The climate crisis and the rise of eco-anxiety,”,  The BMJ “Young people’s climate anxiety revealed in landmark survey,” Nature

For CME general questions, please contact 
     Email: [email protected]

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Stanford Medicine adheres to the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity, except those listed in the table below. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.