Designing a tool to identify and prioritize the effects of construction and operation phases of combined cycle power plants on physical health

Background and Objective: Given the nature of many development projects, it is necessary to evaluate their effects on human health. Due to the lack of a specific model, the purpose of this study was to provide a tool to prioritize the effects of construction and operation (C&O) of a combined cycle power plants (CCPPs) on physical health. Materials and Methods: By reviewing the documents and interviewing 15 experts, the variables affecting physical health in the C&O of the CCPPs were identified. Then, the content validity of the variables was assessed and the enumerated questionnaire was provided to the experts to determine the range, duration, probability, magnitude and extent of health effects using a multiple-choice Likert scale. Finally, with an innovative method, high priority variables were determined to evaluate the physical health effects on individuals. Results: According to expert’s comments, 480 variables affecting physical health in the C&O of the CCPPs were selected and 41 variables were rejected based on the content validity index. The obtained results showed that diseases attributed to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), SO2 and nitrogen oxide, under normal and emergency conditions, highly contributed to the physical health problems during the construction of CCPPs. Conclusion:  The method presented in this study is applicable to (1) identifies the factors affecting physical health, (2) determines the range of each physical health- associated factor and (3) prioritizes influencing criteria that might affect human health status during the construction and operation of a combined cycle power plant.