THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT LEVELS AND AWARENESS OF MEDICAL FACULTY STUDENTS

Objective: Anthropogenic activities and the resulting ecological footprint are increasing daily, putting pressure on ecosystems and the environment. This study aims to determine the relationship between ecological footprint values and awareness among medical faculty students. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 352 students at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. The ecological footprint calculator and Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale were used as data collection tools. Statistical analyses, including the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests, were performed using the SPSS statistical package. Results: The participants' average ecological footprint was 6.6±1.7 global hectares (gha) per person. The earth number value was calculated as 4.1±1.1, and the carbon footprint for CO2 emissions was 11.1±4.3 tons per person. The carbon footprint accounts for approximately 56 % of the total ecological footprint. According to the ecological footprint awareness scale, participants showed the highest awareness in the sub-dimensions of energy consumption (X̄=4.1) and water consumption (X̄=4.0), while the awareness was lowest in the sub-dimension of nourishment (X=2.9). A weak negative correlation was found between the participants' ecological footprint values and the results obtained from the ecological footprint awareness scale (r=-0.217, p<0.001). Conclusion: According to the study, students have a higher ecological footprint than the average values observed in Turkey and the world. Reduce the environmental impacts of human activities; raising awareness and promoting sustainable practices is essential.