Uncertainty in environmental health impact assessment: Quantitative methods and perspectives

Abstract

Environmental health impact assessment models are subjected to great uncertainty due to the complex associations between environmental exposures and health. Quantifying the impact of uncertainty is important if the models are used to support health policy decisions. We conducted a systematic review to identify and appraise current methods used to quantify the uncertainty in environmental health impact assessment. In the 19 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, several methods were identified. These were grouped into random sampling methods, second-order probability methods, Bayesian methods, fuzzy sets, and deterministic sensitivity analysis methods. All 19 studies addressed the uncertainty in the parameter values but only 5 of the studies also addressed theuncertainty in the structure of the models. None of the articles reviewed considered conceptual sources of uncertainty associated with the framing assumptions or the conceptualisation of the model. Future research should attempt to broaden the way uncertainty is taken into account in environmental health impact assessments.

Keywords:

• uncertainty
• environmental health models
• quantitative health impact assessment
• models
• environmental exposures

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out as part of the project “Pollutants in the Urban Environment: An Integrated Framework for Improving Sustainability of the Indoor Environment (PUrE Intrawise)”, funded by EPSRC (Grant no. EP/F007132/1). Mesa-Frias and Chalabi gratefully acknowledge this funding and the support of other project partners.