Climate change worry, awareness, risk appraisal, and pro-environmental behaviors: Are these factors different for individuals with and without chronic diseases?

Background Climate change poses significant risks to human health, particularly exacerbating conditions for individuals with chronic diseases. This study aimed to examine differences in climate change awareness, risk appraisal, pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs), and climate change worry between individuals with and without chronic diseases, and to investigate their interrelationships. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed, using convenience sampling. Participants included 405 Israeli adults (146 with chronic diseases, and 259 without) who completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing climate change awareness, risk appraisal, PEBs, and worry. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multivariate analysis of covariance, using SPSS version 29. Moderated serial mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 92) with 5,000 bootstrap samples. Results Participants with chronic diseases reported significantly higher levels of climate change awareness, F(1, 400)=5.88, p=.016; risk appraisal, F(1, 400)=12.68, p<.001; PEBs, F(1, 400)=4.00, p=.046; and worry, F(1, 400)=6.81, p=.009, than did participants without chronic diseases. The moderated serial mediation model was significant (effect=0.02, SE=0.01, 95%CI [0.001, 0.04]), explaining 44% of the variance in climate change worry. Awareness positively predicted risk appraisal (B=0.33, p<.001), which in turn predicted both PEBs (B=0.23, p<.001) and worry (B=0.29, p<.001). The indirect pathway from awareness to worry via PEBs was significant only among participants with chronic diseases (B=0.04, SE=0.02, 95%CI [0.01, 0.10]). Similarly, the complete serial mediation path—from awareness to risk appraisal, to PEBs, and finally to worry—was significant for participants with chronic diseases (B=0.02, SE=0.01, 95%CI [0.01, 0.05]) but not for participants without chronic diseases. Conclusions The results emphasize the need for targeted communication strategies and policy initiatives that address the specific vulnerabilities and behaviors of chronically ill populations. Future research should utilize longitudinal approaches and objective assessments to deepen our understanding of these dynamics and inform effective interventions.