Assessment of health risks of policies

Abstract

The assessment of health risks of policies is an inevitable, although challenging prerequisite for the inclusion of health considerations in political decision making. The aim of our project was to develop a so far missing methodological guide for the assessment of the complex impact structure of policies. The guide was developed in a consensual way based on experiences gathered during the assessment of specific national policies selected by the partners of an EU project. Methodological considerations were discussed and summarized in workshops and pilot tested on the EU Health Strategy for finalization. The combined tool, which includes a textual guidance and a checklist, follows the top-down approach, that is, it guides the analysis of causal chains from the policy through related health determinants and risk factors to health outcomes. The tool discusses the most important practical issues of assessment by impact level. It emphasises the transparent identification and prioritization of factors, the consideration of the feasibility of exposure and outcome assessment with special focus on quantification. The developed guide provides useful methodological instructions for the comprehensive assessment of health risks of policies that can be effectively used in the health impact assessment of policy proposals.

Lessons from an International Initiative to Set and Share Good Practice on Human Health in Environmental Impact Assessment

“…The assessment of human health requires a conclusion on how any change manifests itself in terms of health outcomes, e.g., a change in respiratory health, or mental well-being and this should include effects on inequalities in health and health equity. Ádám et al [ 133 ] make the same point for the assessment of health in policies. The step from a health determinant to a health outcome raises the issue of attributing how the health outcomes in a future population will change as a result of the proposed development that is undergoing an EIA.…”

The future of public health policymaking after COVID-19: a qualitative systematic review of lessons from Health in All Policies

“…Some studies suggest ways to avoid health imperialism: contribute to a new ‘shared language’ across sectors ( Molnar et al , 2016 : 8–10); rebrand HiAP aims in terms of wellbeing, ‘living conditions’, ‘social sustainability’, ‘human rights’ or ‘civic participation’ to generate cross-sectoral ownership ( Synnevåg et al , 2018b : 70–1; Scheele et al , 2018 : 64); and rebrand Health Impact Assessment (HIA) as ‘overall policy appraisal’ ( Kemm, 2001 : 82–4; see also Adam et al , 2014 ). However, as with win-win approaches, there is tension between seeking the benefits of collaboration and experiencing the ‘corruption’ of HiAP’s social determinants agenda ( Holt et al , 2017 ).…”