Transcript Health impact assessment explained World Health Organization Health Impact Assessment (HIA) A combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, programme or project may.

Health impact assessment
explained
World Health Organization
Health Impact Assessment
(HIA)
A combination of procedures, methods
and tools by which a policy, programme or
project may be judged as to its potential
effects on the health of a population, and
the distribution of those effects within the
population
WHO, European Centre for Health Policy. Gothenburg Consensus Paper,
Health Impact Assessment- main concepts and suggested approach.
Brussels, 1999.
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Why use HIA?
We have to think about the effects policies
have on health, and in particular, how
they can alter the health of all people in
the population. Non-health sector
proposals, where health is not the main
objective, may have major effects on the
health and well-being of people,
particularly vulnerable groups.
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HIA explained
• HIA is an approach that gets people to think
about what they are doing, and how it may alter
people’s health. It promotes health – and in the
long term contributes to the health of local
people
• Imagine someone was planning to build a new
motorway. An HIA would answer ‘How would
this new development affect people’s health?’
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An HIA would ask….
• Would the motorway increase or decrease
noise, air or light pollution?
• How would the motorway affect local
businesses and jobs?
• Would the new motorway reduce or
increase the stress for local people?
• How would a new motorway change the
local infrastructure needs - and would this
be good or bad for local people?
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The purpose/function of HIA
is to:
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Inform and influence the decision maker
Help address inequalities in health.
Promote joined-up working.
Place public health on the agenda
Reduce conflict between stakeholders
Encourage sustainable development
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HIA does this by:
• Using a broad understanding of health.
• Using a participatory approach that considers which
stakeholders need to be involved
• Helping involve local people in decisions and responding
to their concerns about health.
• Considering different types of evidence - from local
views to scientific information.
• Assessing how the proposal will affect all members of
the community – particularly the most vulnerable.
• Assisting with sustainable development by considering
short and long term impacts.
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Many factors impact on
your health
• the social and economic environment
• the physical environment
• and the person’s individual characteristics and
behaviours.
For example, income and social status - higher income and
social status are linked to better health. The greater the
gap between the richest and poorest people, the greater
the differences in health.
For example, education – low education levels are linked
with poor health, more stress and lower self-confidence.
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What international policies
support HIA?
• Article 152 of the Amsterdam Treaty - the European Union
(EU) should examine the possible impact of major policies on
health.
• The new Strategic Environmental Assessment protocol places a special emphasis on the consideration of human health for
Europe
• 1997 Organisation of African Unity Harare Declaration on
Malaria Prevention and Control in the Context of African
Economic Recovery and Development - included calls for EIA
and HIA of all new developments in Africa.
• Health21 – The health for all policy framework - outlines
strategies to ensure the use of health impact assessment in Europe.
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What international policies
support HIA?
• The Strategic Environmental Directive -adopted by
the European Commission to ensure that environmental
consequences of certain plans and programmes are
identified and assessed during their preparation and
before their adoption.
• Environmental impact assessment - a statutory
requirement in many countries. Similar to HIA, EIA
explores the effect of policies, programmes and projects
on the environment.
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When is an HIA
undertaken?
• Before implementation (prospective) - to
allow steps to be taken to change a proposal at the
planning stage.
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Steps in HIA
• Identifying if an HIA should occur (screening) systematically deciding if an HIA necessary.
• Identifying what to do and how to do it
(scoping) - reviewing the issue in more detail, setting
the boundaries for the HIA, and considering how the
HIA appraisal stage should be undertaken
• Identifying health hazards and considering
evidence of impact - considering a range of evidence
between the determinants of health and key elements of
the proposal.
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Steps in HIA
• Developing recommendations to reduce hazards
and/or improve of health - set of recommended
changes to the proposal to the decision makers.
• Evaluation and monitoring:
• whether the HIA has influenced the decision making
process (and the subsequent proposal);
• monitoring the implementation of the proposal to
ensure that any recommendations that decisionmakers agreed to, actually occur;
• longer term monitoring of the health of populations is
sometimes a component of larger proposals.
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HIA tools and guidance
Many different toolkits are
available, as are basic guides
to carrying out HIA. Find all
these at: www.who.int/hia
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Some examples of where
HIA has been used.
• Building a new road near residential areas.
• The local village school policy to implement
safer routes to school.
• Building an out-of-town shopping centre.
• Increasing runway & passenger capacity at an
airport.
• Changing the fuel used in a cement kiln.
• Assessing the common agricultural policy.
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Where to from here?
Many examples of HIA are available on
www.who.int/hia website. The site also
provides information:
• About HIA
• Tools and methods to do HIA
• How HIA contributes to policy making
• The evidence used in HIA
• HIA related links and networks.
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