Original Title: Guía para la evaluación del impacto en la salud y en el bienestar de proyectos, programas o políticas extrasanitarias

Authors' objectives: The aim of this study is to draw up guidelines in order to assess the impact on health of public, nonhealth policies. The following objectives are proposed for this task: - set out the different conceptual and methodological aspects on which the health impact assessment is based; - describe the stages and tools necessary in order to perform a health impact assessment.

Authors' results and conclusions: The definitions of health impact assessment (HIA), its objectives and the ethical values on which it is based are presented in detail This study includes an analysis of reasons for using HIA, the areas in which it is applied, different kinds of HIA, and the difficulties for introducing HIA in our immediate environment. A detailed explanation is given of the health determinant theory. The different stages of the HIA are set out in detail: screening, ordering an assessment, performing the HIA, appraising the recommendations and evaluating the process. The study also includes a rapid guide to the stages in which the HIA is divided and the different tools and resources available to those who are going to perform it: tools for the screening stage, databases and assessments accessible via the Internet, other guidelines and documents concerning HIA and a list of samples of HIA concerning a number of different subjects accessible via the Internet.

Authors' recommendations: The health impact assessment methodology has been used in different geographical contexts and in different social areas, and its utility and added value in decision-making processes has been demonstrated. It provides transparency and suggestions for improvements in projects, programmes or plans and policies, strengthening the positive effects of proposals and correcting the negative ones, leading to improvements in health. It is also a useful tool for analysing the impact of a proposal on different subgroups of the population and for avoiding and correcting health inequalities.

Authors' methods: After making a bibliographic search in order to locate both existing guidelines and other documents that develop or analyse the methodological and conceptual aspects of the health impact assessment, we have analysed the documents encountered in order to summarise the conceptual and methodological aspects on which HIA is based.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2005

URL for published report: https://www.euskadi.eus/contenidos/informacion/2005_osteba_publicacion/es_def/adjuntos/2005/d_05-04_guia_evaluacion_impacto_salud.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: C/ Donostia – San Sebastián, 1 (Edificio Lakua II, 4ª planta) 01010 Vitoria - Gasteiz

Contact Name: Lorea Galnares-Cordero

Contact Email: lgalnares@bioef.eus

Copyright: <p>Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, Health Department Basque Government (OSTEBA)</p>