Respiratory pandemics, urban planning and design: A multidisciplinary rapid review of the literature.

COVID-19 is the most recent respiratory pandemic to necessitate better knowledge about city planning and design. The complex connections between cities and pandemics, however challenge traditional approaches to reviewing literature. In this article we adopted a rapid review methodology. We review the historical literature on respiratory pandemics and their documented connections to urban planning and design (both broadly defined as being concerned with cities as complex systems). Our systematic search across multidisciplinary databases returned a total of 1323 sources, with 92 articles included in the final review. Findings showed that the literature represents the multi-scalar nature of cities and pandemics - pandemics are global phenomena spread through an interconnected world, but require regional, city, local and individual responses. We characterise the literature under ten themes: scale (global to local); built environment; governance; modelling; non-pharmaceutical interventions; socioeconomic factors; system preparedness; system responses; underserved and vulnerable populations; and future-proofing urban planning and design. We conclude that the historical literature captures how city planning and design intersects with a public health response to respiratory pandemics. Our thematic framework provides parameters for future research and policy responses to the varied connections between cities and respiratory pandemics.

Lessons from an International Initiative to Set and Share Good Practice on Human Health in Environmental Impact Assessment.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is applied to infrastructure and other large projects. The European Union EIA Directive (2011/92/EU as amended by 2014/52/EU) requires EIAs to consider the effects that a project might have on human health. The International Association for Impact Assessment and the European Public Health Association prepared a reference paper on public health in EIA to enable the health sector to contribute to this international requirement. We present lessons from this joint action. We review literature on policy analysis, impact assessment and Health Impact Assessment (HIA). We use findings from this review and from the consultation on the reference paper to consider how population and human health should be defined; how the health sector can participate in the EIA process; the relationship between EIA and HIA; what counts as evidence; when an effect should be considered 'likely' and 'significant'; how changes in health should be reported; the risks from a business-as-usual coverage of human health in EIA; and finally competencies for conducting an assessment of human health. This article is relevant for health authorities seeking to ensure that infrastructure, and other aspects of development, are not deleterious to, but indeed improve, human health.

The need to include Health Impact Assessment at the International Monetary Fund.

The lending and technical support provided by the International Monetary Fund affect the determinants of health and healthy equity. Most health determinants lie outside the control of the health sector, and thus non-health-sector policies have profound positive and negative effects on population health. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an instrument for identifying the effect of policies, plans, programs, and projects on population health and health equity. It is a feasible, cost-effective, and transparent process that has been adopted by several financial institutions, including members of the World Bank Group. Adopting HIA would assist the IMF in ensuring that the potential health consequences of its policies are identified and addressed.

Current Global Health Impact Assessment Practice.

Health impact assessment (HIA) practice has expanded across the world, since it was established more than two decades ago. This paper presents a snapshot of current global HIA practice based on the findings of an online questionnaire survey. HIA practitioners from all world regions were invited to participate. A total of 122 HIA practitioners from 29 countries completed the survey, following a broad international outreach effort. The large variety in the types of HIAs conducted, and the application of HIA in various fields reported by respondents, demonstrates that HIA practice has evolved over the past two decades. Although differences in the use of HIA were reported across world regions, an overall increasing trend in global HIA practice can be observed. In order to sustain this upward trend, efforts are needed to address the main barriers in the utilisation of HIA. The establishment of new national and international HIA teaching and training offerings seems to be an obvious strategy to pursue along with the strengthening of policies and legal frameworks that specify the circumstances, under which HIA is required, and to what extent.

Capacity Building in Environment and Health (CBEH) project: strengthening health in environmental assessments in Slovenia: gap analysis and way forward

In the frame of the Capacity Building in Environment and Health (CBEH) project, co-funded by the European Commission, a workshop was held in Slovenia in order to analyse the specific capacity needs in the country in relation to the implementation of health impact assessment (HIA) and further integration of health in environmental assessments (EAs). During the workshop in Ljubljana in June 2012, ways to enhance capacity in health in EAs across Slovenia were examined. The aim was for experts in health and environment to review their experience in impact assessments. Discussion focused on the following types of impact assessment: HIA; environmental impact assessment (EIA); and strategic environmental assessment (SEA). One of the key findings was that, even though capacity-building activities in HIA and different HIA pilot projects have already taken place in Slovenia, there still seem to be unmet needs in various government departments. Furthermore, there is a need to define clear roles and responsibilities between environment and health in regard to HIA and further integration of health into EAs.

Capacity Building in Environment and Health (CBEH) project: strengthening health in environmental assessments in Estonia: gap analysis and way forward

In the frame of a project on Capacity Building in Environment and Health (CBEH), co-funded by the European Commission, a workshop took place in June 2012 to review the specific capacity needs of Estonia in relation to: implementation of health impact assessment (HIA); further integration of health in environmental assessments (EAs); and use of methods for quantitative risk assessment in local assessments.HIA is a prospective process – it looks at the potential effects of policies, plans, programmes and projects on health. One of the drivers for looking into HIA and its implementation in Estonia was the occurrence of a number of fires in the area of the city of Kunda. This focus provided a platform to examine ways of working between environment and health, and to develop a programme for HIA at a country level.One of the key findings was the need to define clear roles and responsibilities between environment and health for the implementation of risk assessment and HIA. Consequently, the main outcome was a plan for the integration of health in EAs. Using information provided by participants on existing EA activities, one project was specifically identified as being useful to develop those needs.