[Health impact assessment of the San Fernando street renewal project in Alcalá de Guadaíra (Seville, Spain)].
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the design and implementation of a health impact assessment (HIA) conducted in 2010 of the regeneration project of San Fernando Street, the main avenue crossing the San Miguel-El Castillo neighborhood in Alcala de Guadaíra (Seville, Spain). This project is part of the wider URBAN Plan aimed at the social, urban and economic regeneration of the city's historic center.


METHODS
This experience followed the standard HIA stages and procedures. The review of published evidence was complemented with new qualitative information gathered by means of a participative workshop with the local population and interviews with social and health workers involved in the neighborhood.


RESULTS
During the building stage of the project, the adverse impacts were related to a worsening of the air quality, increased noise pollution, mobility restrictions and a higher risk of accidents, particularly among older or disabled people. Once the building stage was finished, the health benefits were associated with significant improvements in physical accessibility and the population's access to health services and other goods and services. Other positive effects were the enhanced safety and attractiveness of the neighborhood and the new opportunities for socializing, social cohesion and increasing the community's self-esteem.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first HIA experience in Andalusia whose results have been integrated into a formal cycle of decision making in the local community. This experience has provided new evidence of the potential of HIA and its applicability and acceptance at the municipal level and has has also facilitated a learning process and the piloting of new methods and tools associated with the HIA process.
Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía, Granada, España.
Jesús
J
Venegas-Sánchez
Ana
A
Rivadeneyra-Sicilia
Julia
J
Bolívar-Muñoz
Luis Andrés
LA
López-Fernández
Piedad
P
Martín-Olmedo
Alberto
A
Fernández-Ajuria
Antonio
A
Daponte-Codina
Josefa
J
Ruiz-Fernández
Carlos
C
Artundo-Purroy
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004782:Environmental Health; D005260:Female; D062489:Health Impact Assessment; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011640:Public Policy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012940:Social Problems; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D014504:Urban Health; D014506:Urban Renewal / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult