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Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
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Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2017) | Viewed by 50228

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Krassi Rumchev

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Guest Editor
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth 6120, Australia
Interests: indoor air pollution; children’s health; ultrafine particles; risk assessment; health impact assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jeffery Spickett

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Impact Assessment, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
Interests: health impact assessment; health risk assessment; environmental health; occupational health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Helen Brown

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
WHO Collaborating Centre in Environmental Health Impact Assessment and School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
Interests: health impact assessment; climate change; sustainable development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a systematic process defined as “a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, programme or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of the population, and the distribution of those effects within the population”. One of the main aims of HIA is to assess health impacts related to an activity and to provide decision makers about how this activity may affect the health and wellbeing of people. Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is an important component within the HIA framework with the aim to assess and manage potential health risks to the community.  However, this often generates controversy, as there are different perceptions and applications of the HRA process within the HIA.

Health risk assessment (HRA) is a tool for overall assessment and management of potential health threats from exposure to chemical, physical, biological and social hazards. It is a key component of the HIA framework and it is applied at the scoping and/or risk assessment stages. Traditionally HIA has used HRA to assess health consequences from exposures to environmental threats including air quality, noise, water quality, but overlooked a broader range of health determinants including social determinants of health such as culture and socioeconomic status. In addition, consequences to health can be beneficial and arise from both social and environmental assets such as national parks, nature reserves, cultural areas and politics. Therefore, both benefits and adverse health impacts should be considered in the HIA process.

The determination of risk levels usually requires a combination of health consequences and likelihood estimates that are presented in a risk matrix. The risk matrix can assist in determining a range of potential health consequences and likelihoods. This approach can offer a more specific estimation of potential health impacts that is beyond the usual fatality or injury models. However, there are several factors, such as risk perception and risk communication, that can influence the ranking of risks and, hence, the level of acceptance within the affected population.
 
This Special Issue in the IJERPH aims to advance our understanding about the role and application of the health risk assessment process within a HIA framework. A clear and consistent application of health risk assessment within the HIA framework has not yet been achieved and papers that consider the various factors that explain this are welcome. Papers may consider aspects, such as the lack of appreciation for the role of HRA, the lack of specific and more comprehensive ranking criteria for health consequences and likelihood of an adverse event on humans, risk perception and risk communication. This Special Issue will attempt to assist advocates in evaluating and prioritising potential health hazards prior to moving into the next stages of HIA.  

Dr. Krassi Rumchev
Professor Dr. Jeff Spickett
Dr. Helen Brown
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Health impact assessment
  • Health risk assessment
  • Risk perception
 

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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1062 KiB  
Article
Human Health Risk Assessment Applied to Rural Populations Dependent on Unregulated Drinking Water Sources: A Scoping Review
by Lorelei Ford, Lalita Bharadwaj, Lianne McLeod and Cheryl Waldner
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(8), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080846 - 28 Jul 2017
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8844
Abstract
Safe drinking water is a global challenge for rural populations dependent on unregulated water. A scoping review of research on human health risk assessments (HHRA) applied to this vulnerable population may be used to improve assessments applied by government and researchers. This review [...] Read more.
Safe drinking water is a global challenge for rural populations dependent on unregulated water. A scoping review of research on human health risk assessments (HHRA) applied to this vulnerable population may be used to improve assessments applied by government and researchers. This review aims to summarize and describe the characteristics of HHRA methods, publications, and current literature gaps of HHRA studies on rural populations dependent on unregulated or unspecified drinking water. Peer-reviewed literature was systematically searched (January 2000 to May 2014) and identified at least one drinking water source as unregulated (21%) or unspecified (79%) in 100 studies. Only 7% of reviewed studies identified a rural community dependent on unregulated drinking water. Source water and hazards most frequently cited included groundwater (67%) and chemical water hazards (82%). Most HHRAs (86%) applied deterministic methods with 14% reporting probabilistic and stochastic methods. Publications increased over time with 57% set in Asia, and 47% of studies identified at least one literature gap in the areas of research, risk management, and community exposure. HHRAs applied to rural populations dependent on unregulated water are poorly represented in the literature even though almost half of the global population is rural. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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2968 KiB  
Article
Transportation Matters: A Health Impact Assessment in Rural New Mexico
by Michelle Del Rio, William L. Hargrove, Joe Tomaka and Marcelo Korc
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 629; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14060629 - 13 Jun 2017
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7456
Abstract
This Health Impact Assessment (HIA) informed the decision of expanding public transportation services to rural, low income communities of southern Doña Ana County, New Mexico on the U.S./Mexico border. The HIA focused on impacts of access to health care services, education, and economic [...] Read more.
This Health Impact Assessment (HIA) informed the decision of expanding public transportation services to rural, low income communities of southern Doña Ana County, New Mexico on the U.S./Mexico border. The HIA focused on impacts of access to health care services, education, and economic development opportunities. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from surveys of community members, key informant interviews, a focus group with community health workers, and passenger surveys during an initial introduction of the transit system. Results from the survey showed that a high percentage of respondents would use the bus system to access the following: (1) 84% for health services; (2) 83% for formal and informal education opportunities; and (3) 81% for economic opportunities. Results from interviews and the focus group supported the benefits of access to services but many were concerned with the high costs of providing bus service in a rural area. We conclude that implementing the bus system would have major impacts on resident’s health through improved access to: (1) health services, and fresh foods, especially for older adults; (2) education opportunities, such as community colleges, universities, and adult learning, especially for young adults; and (3) economic opportunities, especially jobs, job training, and consumer goods and services. We highlight the challenges associated with public transportation in rural areas where there are: (1) long distances to travel; (2) difficulties in scheduling to meet all needs; and (3) poor road and walking conditions for bus stops. The results are applicable to low income and fairly disconnected rural areas, where access to health, education, and economic opportunities are limited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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982 KiB  
Article
RF EMF Risk Perception Revisited: Is the Focus on Concern Sufficient for Risk Perception Studies?
by Peter M. Wiedemann, Frederik Freudenstein, Christoph Böhmert, Joe Wiart and Rodney J. Croft
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14060620 - 8 Jun 2017
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6726
Abstract
An implicit assumption of risk perception studies is that concerns expressed in questionnaires reflect concerns in everyday life. The aim of the present study is to check this assumption, i.e., the extrapolability of risk perceptions expressed in a survey, to risk perceptions in [...] Read more.
An implicit assumption of risk perception studies is that concerns expressed in questionnaires reflect concerns in everyday life. The aim of the present study is to check this assumption, i.e., the extrapolability of risk perceptions expressed in a survey, to risk perceptions in everyday life. To that end, risk perceptions were measured by a multidimensional approach. In addition to the traditional focus on measuring the magnitude of risk perceptions, the thematic relevance (how often people think about a risk issue) and the discursive relevance (how often people think about or discuss a risk issue) of risk perceptions were also collected. Taking into account this extended view of risk perception, an online survey was conducted in six European countries with 2454 respondents, referring to radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF EMF) risk potentials from base stations, and access points, such as WiFi routers and cell phones. The findings reveal that the present study’s multidimensional approach to measuring risk perception provides a more differentiated understanding of RF EMF risk perception. High levels of concerns expressed in questionnaires do not automatically imply that these concerns are thematically relevant in everyday life. We use thematic relevance to distinguish between enduringly concerned (high concern according to both questionnaire and thematic relevance) and not enduringly concerned participants (high concern according to questionnaire but no thematic relevance). Furthermore, we provide data for the empirical value of this distinction: Compared to other participants, enduringly concerned subjects consider radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure to a greater extent as a moral and affective issue. They also see themselves as highly exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic fields. However, despite these differences, subjects with high levels of thematic relevance are nevertheless sensitive to exposure reduction as a means for improving the acceptance of base stations in their neighborhood. This underlines the value of exposure reduction for the acceptance of radio frequency electromagnetic field communication technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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632 KiB  
Article
Family Planning and the Samburu: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Thoughts of Men on a Population Health and Environment Programme in Rural Kenya
by Loren Kock and Audrey Prost
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(5), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14050528 - 13 May 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8051
Abstract
Population Health and Environment (PHE) strategies are argued to improve ecosystem and human health by addressing family size and its effects on natural resource use, food security, and reproductive health. This study investigates men’s views on a PHE family planning (FP) programme delivered [...] Read more.
Population Health and Environment (PHE) strategies are argued to improve ecosystem and human health by addressing family size and its effects on natural resource use, food security, and reproductive health. This study investigates men’s views on a PHE family planning (FP) programme delivered among the pastoral Samburu tribe in rural northern Kenya. Three focus group discussions and nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 Samburu men. These discussions revealed support for environmentally-sensitised family planning promotion. Men highlighted their dependency on natural resources and challenges faced in providing for large families and maintaining livestock during drought. These practices were said to lead to natural resource exhaustion, environmental degradation, and wildlife dispersal, undermining key economic benefits of environmental and wildlife conservation. Relating family size to the environment is a compelling strategy to improve support for FP among Samburu men. Kenyan policy-makers should consider integrating community-based PHE strategies among underserved pastoral groups living in fragile ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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516 KiB  
Article
Health Risk Assessment of Indoor Air Quality, Socioeconomic and House Characteristics on Respiratory Health among Women and Children of Tirupur, South India
by Krassi Rumchev, Yun Zhao and Jeffery Spickett
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14040429 - 17 Apr 2017
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 6997
Abstract
Background: Indoor air pollution is still considered as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and especially in developing countries, including India. This study aims to assess social, housing, and indoor environmental factors associated with respiratory health among mothers and [...] Read more.
Background: Indoor air pollution is still considered as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and especially in developing countries, including India. This study aims to assess social, housing, and indoor environmental factors associated with respiratory health among mothers and children. Methods: The study was conducted in the city of Tirupur, South India. We quantitatively assessed the indoor exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide in relation to respiratory health among women and children. Information on health status, household characteristics and socioeconomic factors was collected using a modified standardised questionnaire. Results: This study demonstrates the significant health impact of housing and socioeconomic characteristics on the burden of respiratory illness among women and children in urban South India. Increased respiratory symptoms were recorded among women and children from low income households, and those who allowed smoking inside. The mean PM2.5 concentration measured in this study was 3.8 mg/m3 which exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) 24 h guideline value of 0.025 mg/m3. Conclusions: This study is the first to our knowledge carried out in urban South India and the findings can be used for future intervention studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
1208 KiB  
Article
Influence of Transportation Noise and Noise Sensitivity on Annoyance: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea
by Joo Hyun Sung, Jiho Lee, Kyoung Sook Jeong, Soogab Lee, Changmyung Lee, Min-Woo Jo and Chang Sun Sim
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030322 - 20 Mar 2017
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5573
Abstract
Environmental noise is known to cause noise annoyance. Since noise annoyance is a subjective indicator, other mediators—such as noise sensitivity—may influence its perception. However, few studies have thus far been conducted on noise annoyance in South Korea that consider noise sensitivity and noise [...] Read more.
Environmental noise is known to cause noise annoyance. Since noise annoyance is a subjective indicator, other mediators—such as noise sensitivity—may influence its perception. However, few studies have thus far been conducted on noise annoyance in South Korea that consider noise sensitivity and noise level simultaneously. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between noise sensitivity or noise level and noise annoyance on a large scale in South Korea. This study estimated the level of noise exposure based on a noise map created in 2014; identified and surveyed 1836 subjects using a questionnaire; and assessed the impact of transportation noise and noise sensitivity on noise annoyance. The result showed that noise exposure level and noise sensitivity simultaneously affect noise annoyance, and noise sensitivity has a relatively larger impact on noise annoyance. In conclusion, when study subjects were exposed to a similar level of noise, the level of noise annoyance differed depending on the noise sensitivity of the individual. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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Review

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290 KiB  
Review
Using Health Impact Assessment as an Interdisciplinary Teaching Tool
by Melissa Chinchilla and Mariana C. Arcaya
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(7), 744; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14070744 - 8 Jul 2017
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5535
Abstract
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) courses are teaching public health and urban planning students how to assess the likely health effects of proposed policies, plans, and projects. We suggest that public health and urban planning have complimentary frameworks for training practitioners to address the [...] Read more.
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) courses are teaching public health and urban planning students how to assess the likely health effects of proposed policies, plans, and projects. We suggest that public health and urban planning have complimentary frameworks for training practitioners to address the living conditions that affect health. Planning perspectives emphasize practical skills for impacting community change, while public health stresses professional purpose and ethics. Frameworks from both disciplines can enhance the HIA learning experience by helping students tackle questions related to community impact, engagement, social justice, and ethics. We also propose that HIA community engagement processes can be enriched through an empathetic practice that focuses on greater personal introspection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA))
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