Generic software to quantify the health impact of policies
DYNAMO-HIA is a tool to quantify the health impact of policies influencing health determinants. The instrument, a dynamic model called DYNAMO-HIA, is generic (adaptable to the health determinants and outcomes relevant for the policy in question) and applicable throughout the European Union.
The health effects are assessed through their influence on health determinants. With partial micro-simulation based on Markov modelling, morbidity and mortality projections are calculated from simulated risk factor histories.
Risk factor histories are a crucial driving part of the simulation. They need to be specified for a reference scenario, and for the situation after implementing the policy. The DYNAMO-HIA tool does not require programming skills of the user.
Default data sets on current risk factors and health outcomes are supplied with the software. Provided are data on the three risk factors: smoking, alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI) and ten health outcomes: ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, cancer of the oral cavity, esophageal cancer, COPD and all cause mortality. The instrument is adaptable and can be extended with other risk factors and health outcomes.
Example usage
Two example applications are presented in Lhachimi SK et al, 2012 to illustrate the usability of DYNAMO-HIA.
- The consequences of a policy-induced increase in alcohol consumption. This resembles a prospective HIA.
- The quantification of changes in population health if smoking were to be eradicated. This resembles a burden of disease study.