PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Health, health determinants, and also the consequences of (ill) health: all these items imply considerable complexity. When trying to define and operationalize these concepts, especially in quantitative terms, difficulties emerge. Within the field of Public Health, correspondingly, both qualitative and quantitative approaches are established, and they are often used to complement each other. This chapter concerns quantitative approaches in risk and impact assessment. In risk assessment, quantification (i.e. counting or measuring) is the “standard” approach, and the focus on quantification is taken for granted. In health impact assessment, however, there is a debate on the usefulness and feasibility of quantification. The chapter therefore is not only concerned with “how” to quantify, but also with the “pros” and “cons” of impact quantification. We start with an outline of the topic. The chapter identifies key approaches to quantification. As for quantified modeling, the focus is on risk assessment and HIA. Both bottom-up and top-down modeling are discussed, and examples of quantification, especially from the RAPID project, are given. Finally, “pros” and “cons” of quantification in this field are discussed, and conclusions are drawn.