Screening tool development for health impact assessment of large administrative structural changes.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Ravn
Anne Katrine
AK
University of Southern Denmark, Unit of Health Promotion Research, Esbjerg, Denmark.
Nicolaisen
Henriette
H
Linnrose
Karina
K
Folkersen
Mikael W
MW
Kraemer
Stella R J
SR
Gulis
Gabriel
G
D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health