DR KOMAL ARSHAD , DR MAHUM BALOCH , DR MUHAMMAD TALHA NISAR , DR NAUMAN ALI CHAUDHARY , DR MUHAMMAD NAVID TAHIR
DOI: https://doi.org/This study investigates the influence of frontline healthcare workers’ (FLHWs) awareness of planetary health on patient care quality in Pakistan, emphasizing the mediating role of employee resilience. Conducted in three districts of Punjab (Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal), the research employs a quantitative approach, surveying 217 FLHWs, primarily Lady Health Workers, nurses, and midwives, using adapted questionnaires. Planetary health awareness is examined through three dimensions—ecological, personal, and behavioural—assessing how understanding environmental health interconnections, personal environmental responsibility, and sustainable practices impact care delivery. Findings reveal that all three awareness dimensions positively and significantly enhance patient care quality, with ecological awareness showing the strongest effect (β=0.670, p<0.01). Employee resilience partially mediates this relationship, enabling FLHWs to translate environmental awareness into effective care despite resource constraints and environmental stressors (β=0.615, p<0.01). Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the study highlights how self-efficacy and observational learning foster sustainable healthcare practices. The results advocate for integrating planetary health into FLHW training curricula and policy reforms to align Pakistan’s National Health Vision with climate-resilient healthcare goals. By empowering FLHWs as planetary health stewards, this research contributes to sustainable healthcare delivery in low-resource settings, addressing both clinical and environmental determinants of health. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and regional focus, suggesting future longitudinal and comparative studies to enhance generalizability.
