Health impact assessment of local policies: methodology and tools
Por:
Mas-Pons R, Caturla-Bastit M, Bisbal-Sanz J, López-Nicolás M and Barona-Vilar C
Publicada:
1 mar 2023
Ahead of Print:
1 jul 2022
Resumen:
The aim of this work was to design some tools and a procedure for performing the Health Impact Assessment of municipal policies. A working group made up of municipal and public health specialists from the Valencian Community (Spain) was set up. After reviewing the tools used in other contexts, the Fem Salut? questionnaire for the simplified Health Impact Assessment of regional policies was adapted for use at the local level. A pilot study was carried out in six municipalities and local initiatives promoted by different sectors were analysed. Two workshops were held per municipality (with specialists and with citizens) and participatory techniques were used to identify the possible impacts on the social determinants of health, the population groups more particularly affected and the proposals for improvement. The feasibility of the methodology and the difficulties involved in carrying it out were discussed. A procedure was defined for the Health Impact Assessment of local initiatives in six steps: Describe (the municipality and the project), Extract (screening phase), Co-produce (participatory workshops), Integrate (the scientific evidence with the qualitative information obtained), Disseminate (to politicians, specialists and community) and Evaluate (direct and indirect results) (DECIDE). A guide was developed to facilitate its application at the local level along with two complementary tools (a questionnaire and worksheets). The technical group rated the process as simple and flexible, as well as being easy to adapt to the characteristics of the municipality and project. In addition to the cross-sectoral approach, the incorporation of citizen participation in the process is an important added value.
Filiaciones:
:
Department of Health, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region (FISABIO), Valencia, Spain
:
Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region (FISABIO), Valencia, Spain
Bisbal-Sanz J:
Tres és mes, Sociology Research, Valencia, Spain
López-Nicolás M:
La Dula, Sociology Research Cooperative, Valencia, Spain
:
Department of Health, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region (FISABIO), Valencia, Spain
Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, Valencia, Spain
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