Screening tool development for health impact assessment of large administrative structural changes

Abstract

Aims: Screening is the first, extremely important step of health impact assessment (HIA) methodology. It contributes to the decision to conduct or not conduct a full assessment, and predefines the main fields of interest of the assessment. Methods: Although there are examples of screening tools available on the Internet and in the scientific literature, in many cases lack of access to those tools creates a barrier to the use of HIA. Results: Denmark is undergoing a major structural change in state administration, moving many responsibilities from the state to the local level. Newly constructed councils are faced with challenges regarding their responsibilities in health promotion and other fields, and this has opened a window for the introduction of HIA at a local level. Owing to the lack of experience with HIA in Denmark, screening tools are lacking and are frequently requested by councils. Conclusions: This article describes a newly constructed screening tool for use at the local level, and describes how we approached the construction of the tool.