Sustainability in Education and Healthcare Field: An Integrative Review of Factors, Barriers, and the Path Forward for Informed Practices

Purpose: This integrative review consolidated and synthesized diverse research articles aimed at investigating various environmental factors in sustainability education, including in the healthcare field. Likewise, it provided a holistic understanding of challenges, facilitators, and their significance. Method: Eight databases with different search terms were searched in this integrative review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A total of 19 papers were quality evaluated using a standardized review tool. Results: Three major themes emerged from the integrative review such as: “Factors affecting Sustainability Education” which include specific factors such as responsible environmental behavior, self-directed learning, and the importance of instructor involvement. Then, the second theme “Barriers and Facilitators to Environmental Health Integration, ” which explains that interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership are two of the factors that help with this process and lack of understanding of environmental health, competing curriculum demand, a lack of faculty competence in environmental health, limited resources, and resistance to change as barriers. Lastly “Importance of Sustainability in Healthcare Education” theme emphasizes the sustainability principles integration into the curriculum to enhance environmental health knowledge and practices. Conclusion: The review highlights the importance of environmental sustainability education, especially in higher education and healthcare sectors. The insights provided baseline informations for implementing sustainable educational practices that encourage active engagement with environmental health issues. This review provides as a framework, guiding health educators, policymakers, and researchers towards promoting a more sustainable future through educational programs.