Environmental awareness and environmental health among university students

Abstract

Environmental health is an important factor for the well-being and sustainability of the educational environment. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with the environmental health of secondary school students at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the National University of the Altiplano. A cross-sectional design with a descriptive-explanatory approach was used, which is suitable for describing the current reality and analyzing causal relationships in a limited period. The methodology included the application of Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the predictive power of environmental health perception based on variables such as environmental education, environmental awareness, environmental responsibility, and forest awareness. The results showed that the model explained 75.4% of the variability in environmental health, highlighting environmental education (β = 0.419) and, especially, environmental awareness (β = 0.529) as significant predictive factors (p < 0.001). It is concluded that both formal environmental education and sensitivity and commitment to the ecosystem are key determinants for improving environmental health in future teachers, highlighting the importance of strengthening environmental awareness to promote sustainable practices.