The purpose of rapid modelling is to provide quick and approximate estimates of health impacts, without the need to collect large volumes of data, to develop and text complex models, or to undertake lengthy and complex analyses. 

The approach relies on the possibility of:

• using proxies for the phenomena of interest; or
• using analogues – i.e. ready-made and representative models from other applications; or
• building new, yet simple models that can estimate the small number of major factors that broadly determine the impacts.

Further information on, and examples of, these different approaches are given via the links in the panel to the left.  A range of models and methods that can be used as a basis for rapid modelling are also provided in the Toolkit section of this Toolbox.