RAPID grew-out from a previous project “health impact assessment in new member states and accession countries” (HIA NMAC). HIA NMAC identified a lack of risk assessment methods for conducting policy health impact assessments across areas of broad determinants of health. The main aim of the project is, therefore, to develop a pilot test and implement risk assessment methodology for full chain risk assessment (policy-determinants of health-risk factors-health effect). Policies and strategies influence the wider determinants of health.

These determinants have their impact on a range of different risk factors which then directly affect human health. There is a substantial amount of knowledge on risk assessment dealing with the relation of a risk factor and health outcome, however, there is a lack of knowledge on risk assessment focusing on the full size of this chain (from policy to health outcome). The proposed project aims to add knowledge on this missing area Strategic relevance & contribution to the program: The added value of the project is embedded in approach to complete “full-chain” risk assessments in each of participating centres including all elements of risk management cycle and covering the broad determinants of health.

Specific objectives:

• to establish a policy risk assessor database
• to conduct risk assessment case studies from policy to health effect and from health effect to policy
• to summarize the methodologies from national case studies and develop “common methodology guidance”
• to implement the new methodology guidance via conducting a case study of a selected EU policy and a series of national workshops.