Health Impact Assessment A case study from Austria

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 2 The HIA A trans-national project: - Austria - France - Malta - the Netherlands - Sweden - Switzerland Data is based on one interview with project coordinator Online Information 

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 3 Aim of the HIA aim The aim of the HIA was to provide a review on transport related health impacts, costs and benefits and to make a set of evidence based recommendations on political implementation strategies with a particular focus on children.  fourth WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health “The Future for our Children”, Budapest June 2004

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 4 Some details about the HIA Started in 2002 out of a 3-countries project (Switzerland, Austria, France) Driving force was a „single“ person from the the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Due to their contacts and experience a consultancy office became responsible for the overall project management No explicit definition of HIA has been used Work was based on an intersectoral and interdisciplinary approach (incl. steering group)

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 5 Some details about the HIA Clear aim (Assessment of the transport related health effects on children) and a clear endpoint (fourth WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health) ScreeningScreening has been done together ScopingappraisalScoping and appraisal has been done independently in every project country for the special transport related health effects (2-3 days workshops) ReportingevaluationReporting and evaluation has been done together

Sprenger M, Püringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 6 … the health determinants … Air pollution  exacerbation of asthma, chronic respiratory symptoms, allergic symptoms, increased prevalence of atopic sensations, reduction in lung function Climate change + road traffic injuries Noise  sleep disturbance, affection of children’s learning, cognition, motivation and annoyance Physical activity  obesity, positive effects on psychological and physical well-being Psychological and Social Effects Economic evaluation

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 7 1.The assessment of the negative transport related health effects on children 2.The provision of an extensive HIA for the fourth WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health “The Future for our Children”, Budapest June Putting health effects on children into the centre of attention 4.Making the issue more important to politicians by looking at economic costs and making them transparent 5.Strengthening research on transport related health effects 6.Using new approaches in the assessment of transport related health effects (e.g. risk value, willingness to pay, sensitivity analyses) The „effectiveness“

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 8 7.Looking at transport related health effects as an international and NOT national issue 8.In Austria, mobility management is happening more often then in the past. Action papers have been launched, CO2 emission has been reduced, measures to reduce transport related health effects (noise, air pollution, traffic related injuries, etc.) have been financed and implemented. 9.Health effects are more often considered in big projects (transport, urban planning, etc.), e.g. bicycle lane, public transport 10.Unification of the calculation of health related external costs. This lack is the reason that the consideration of transport related health affects fails to pass international bodies and parliaments (e.g. EU commission, EU parliament) The „effectiveness“

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 9 Boosting transport related health effects on the agenda of the UNECE; OECD, EU big freight companies, economic departments, etc. Informing the public. Especially informing the public with the right, easy to understand, communication tools (social marketing). EquityEquity was NOT a main issue community participationAs so many communities are affected by transport related health effects  NO community participation The HIA was NOT effective regarding …

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 10 Is it appropriate / effective to do a HIA without community involvement? Does it make sense to focus on economic costs and benefits? The questions are

Sprenger M, Pueringer U, Cardiff 04/2006 Folie 11 THANK you very much for your attention Contact: Dr.med. Martin Sprenger MPH Medical University of Graz Universitätsplatz 4/ Graz Austria / Europe Tel: ++43-(0) Fax: ++43-(0)