[Development and dilemmas of health impact assessment]

Health impact assessment (HIA) is defined as a combination of procedures, methods and tools which may be used to evaluate policy, program or project in the context of its potential impact on the population health or the distribution of health determinants. This approach is used under the assumption that policy, program or project may have an impact on health determinants. Authors of this paper presented origin, history and short description of this methodology as well as basic steps of the decision making process in which HIA is being used. The difficulties and challenges faced by experts using this approach as well as problems related to the measurement of it's effectiveness are also described. In conclusion authors express the view that HIA may become the universal tool used at all levels of decision making and in all sectors.