Purpose

This study has two aims: first, propose the use of the driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework to expand the normal focus of impact pathways in social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) on endpoint impacts to a systematic analysis to find links between the main sources of social issues and impacts; second, develop a new impact assessment method to quantify the lifetime health and economic outcomes associated with social subcategories, for the first time, using decision analytic models.

Methods

The DPSIR framework is mapped to the corresponding elements of the S-LCA context in relation to the social subcategories defined in the UNEP/SETAC methodological sheets. Next, a more robust approach is developed for cause-impact chains between social subcategories and impacts on human well-being based on decision-analytic models (decision trees and Markov models) using healthcare approaches and data. Finally, the health and economic consequences associated with social subcategories are quantified by using Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and costs based on medical literature and healthcare studies.

Results and discussion

The method was applied to the “working hours” social subcategory in Canada. The cause-effect chain is built using DPSIR framework in relation to the current social issue in Canada of working more than standard hours. Results of the decision analytic model show that working standard hours is more effective and cost-saving than working more than standard hours from the Canadian healthcare perspective. Working standard hours compared to more than standard hours led to an increase of 0.73 QALY and decrease in cost of $6702 per worker. Based on an estimated 2.4 million Canadian workers working more than standard hours, this resulted in a total gain of 1.7 million QALYs and saving of $16 billion overall. Using cost-effectiveness analysis, possible interventions at multiple entry points of the cause-effect chain within DPSIR framework are proposed to reduce the negative health impacts and associated costs of working more than standard hours in Canada.

Conclusions

Applying the method on other subcategories could help decision-makers establish the cause-effect aspects of the social performance of their product systems using a quantitative systematic analysis from a life cycle perspective. This approach supports corporate decision-makers to quantify social impacts associated with their product supply chains by calculating QALYs and healthcare costs of their socio-economic conditions enabling them to identify possible interventions to improve the social performance.

中文翻译：

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基于马尔可夫医疗模型的基于DPSIR框架的S-LCA中的因果链：在加拿大“工作时间”的应用

目的

这项研究有两个目标：首先，提出使用驾驶员压力状态影响响应（DPSIR）框架，将社会生命周期评估（S-LCA）中影响路径的正常重点扩展到端点影响，从而达到系统性。分析以找到社会问题和影响的主要来源之间的联系；第二，首次使用决策分析模型开发一种新的影响评估方法，以量化与社会子类别相关的终生健康和经济成果。

方法

DPSIR框架与环境署/ SETAC方法表中定义的社会子类别相对应，映射到S-LCA上下文的相应元素。接下来，基于决策分析模型（决策树和马尔可夫模型），使用医疗保健方法和数据，针对社会子类别之间的因果关系链以及对人类福祉的影响，开发了一种更强大的方法。最后，通过使用质量调整生命年（QALYs）和基于医学文献和医疗保健研究的成本，对与社会子类别相关的健康和经济后果进行了量化。

结果与讨论

该方法已应用于加拿大的“工作时间”社会子类别。因果链是使用DPSIR框架构建的，与加拿大当前工作时间超过标准时间的社会问题相关。决策分析模型的结果表明，从加拿大医疗保健的角度来看，标准工作时间比工作超过标准时间更有效和节省成本。与标准小时相比，工作标准小时导致的QALY增加0.73，每位工人的成本减少$ 6702。根据估计有240万加拿大工人的工作时间超过标准时间，这总共获得了170万个QALY，并节省了160亿加元。使用成本效益分析，

结论

将该方法应用于其他子类别，可以帮助决策者从生命周期的角度进行定量的系统分析，从而确定其产品系统的社会绩效的因果关系。这种方法支持企业决策者通过计算其社会经济状况的QALY和医疗保健费用来量化与其产品供应链相关的社会影响，从而使他们能够确定可能的干预措施，以改善社会绩效。