Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy
Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population’s health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the...
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doaj-81feb8c578364e51a4b01424564c9bb42020-11-24T21:37:04ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012014-12-011112126831269910.3390/ijerph111212683ijerph111212683Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in ItalyNunzia Linzalone0Giorgio Assennato1Adele Ballarini2Ennio Cadum3Mario Cirillo4Liliana Cori5Francesca De Maio6Loredana Musmeci7Marinella Natali8Sabrina Rieti9Maria Eleonora Soggiu10Fabrizio Bianchi11Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, via Moruzzi 1, 56127 Pisa, ItalyRegional Agency for the Protection of the Environment, Apulia Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, ItalyRegional Public Health Service, Emilia-Romagna Viale Moro 21, 40127 Bologna, ItalyRegional Agency for the Protection of the Environment, Piedmont via Sabaudia 164, 10095 Grugliasco, ItalyInstitute for Environmental Protection and Research, via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, ItalyInstitute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, via Moruzzi 1, 56127 Pisa, ItalyInstitute for Environmental Protection and Research, via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, ItalyIstituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, ItalyRegional Public Health Service, Emilia-Romagna Viale Moro 21, 40127 Bologna, ItalyInstitute for Environmental Protection and Research, via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, ItalyIstituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, ItalyInstitute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, via Moruzzi 1, 56127 Pisa, ItalyAvoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population’s health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA and SEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health, significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection of the environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12683public health policyHealth Impact AssessmentEnvironmental Impact AssessmentStrategic Impact Assessmentimpact assessment toolspolicy decision-making |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Nunzia Linzalone Giorgio Assennato Adele Ballarini Ennio Cadum Mario Cirillo Liliana Cori Francesca De Maio Loredana Musmeci Marinella Natali Sabrina Rieti Maria Eleonora Soggiu Fabrizio Bianchi |
spellingShingle |
Nunzia Linzalone Giorgio Assennato Adele Ballarini Ennio Cadum Mario Cirillo Liliana Cori Francesca De Maio Loredana Musmeci Marinella Natali Sabrina Rieti Maria Eleonora Soggiu Fabrizio Bianchi Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health public health policy Health Impact Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment Strategic Impact Assessment impact assessment tools policy decision-making |
author_facet |
Nunzia Linzalone Giorgio Assennato Adele Ballarini Ennio Cadum Mario Cirillo Liliana Cori Francesca De Maio Loredana Musmeci Marinella Natali Sabrina Rieti Maria Eleonora Soggiu Fabrizio Bianchi |
author_sort |
Nunzia Linzalone |
title |
Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy |
title_short |
Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy |
title_full |
Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy |
title_fullStr |
Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy |
title_full_unstemmed |
Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy |
title_sort |
health impact assessment practice and potential for integration within environmental impact and strategic environmental assessments in italy |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2014-12-01 |
description |
Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population’s health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA and SEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health, significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection of the environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest. |
topic |
public health policy Health Impact Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment Strategic Impact Assessment impact assessment tools policy decision-making |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12683 |
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