Transcript Module 2: Screening Goal: The goal of screening is to determine if an indepth impact assessment is necessary and if an.

Module 2: Screening
Goal: The goal of screening is to determine if an indepth impact assessment is necessary and if an HIA
adds value to the decision-making process.
Health Impact Assessment for Healthy Places:
A Guide for Planning and Public Health
Module 2: Objectives
1. Identify steps
2. Use screening tools to select
policies for assessment
3. Describe the role of the
community and stakeholders in
the screening process
4. Describe challenges
communities have encountered
with the screening process
Steps in the Screening Process
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Define the policy, program or project
Determine whether you should conduct an HIA
Choose what type of assessment to complete
Identify the potential health impacts
Review screening decision with stakeholders
HIA Steps are Fluid
It is important to remember that the
steps in the HIA process are fluid and
it may be necessary to revisit previous
steps in the process. For example if
there is a major change in the
proposed policy or project or the
population it is expected to influence,
it may be necessary to return to the
screening process.
Define the Project or Policy
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Who is proposing the project or policy?
What is their predicted timeframe?
When is a decision going to be made?
What are they proposing?
Are there any other projects or
policies that may be affected by
the proposal or influence
the proposal?
When is an HIA appropriate?
• Outside the health sector
• Significant health impacts
that are not already being
considered
• The HIA can be completed
before key decisions are
made
• Stakeholders will use
information
• Sufficient data and
resources are available
When is an HIA inappropriate?
• Information is vague and unreliable
• Little or no local support for an HIA
• Stakeholders will not take health into consideration
• Decisions have already been made
Selection Criteria
• Is the health impact significant?
• Does the HIA add value to the decision-making
process?
• Is there enough knowledge and data available to
conduct the HIA?
• Are resources such as time money and personnel
available to conduct an HIA?
• Remember: For your first HIA, choose a project
that is manageable.
Types of HIAs
Rapid
Intermediate
Comprehensive
Rapid HIA
• Provides a broad overview
• Used at an early policy development stage
• Limited time/resources are available
• Collecting and analyzing existing data and
researching previous HIAs
• Days to weeks with minimal resources
Intermediate HIA
• Provides more detailed information
• Most frequent HIA approach
• Allows more thorough investigation of health
impacts which increases reliability
• Involves:
– reviewing available evidence
– looking at any similar HIAs
– collecting and analyzing new data
– gathering community input
• Can take weeks to months to complete
Comprehensive HIA
• Thorough assessment of potential health impacts
• Least frequently used
• Involves:
–review of available evidence and any similar HIAs
–collecting and assessing new data using multiple
methods and sources (quantitative and qualitative data
including stakeholders’ opinions)
– community input
• A comprehensive HIA may take a long time to
complete
What type of HIA would
you conduct…
• A city plans to develop a run-down
neighborhood-demolishing 3 blocks of
dilapidated retail shops, an aging
supermarket, and 200 low income housing
units.
• The developer has agreed to allocate
$5,000 to the health department to
conduct the HIA if the city will expedite the
approval process. This only gives the
health department 2 weeks to complete
the assessment.
What type of HIA would you
conduct…
A large metropolitan city has longterm plans to transform 22 miles of
abandoned rail roads and brownfields
in its inner city into transit, parks,
trails, and mixed use developments.
This project will intersect 45
neighborhoods and impact an
estimated 100,000 people. The
project will impact some of the
wealthiest and poorest
neighborhoods in the city.
What type of HIA would you
conduct…
Plans are being made to lay a
pipeline through native territory in
Alaska. There is fear that this will
disrupt the native life style, hurting
the traditional hunting and fishing
practices of the people.
There’s one person with a
half time commitment to
conducting this HIA and
they have 1 year to
complete the HIA.
How a community can help?
• Understanding the decision and its alternatives
• Judging the breadth and magnitude of health
effects
• Determining the strength of the evidence
• Identifying available and ongoing analysis
• Understanding competing stakeholder positions
• Identifying potential for improvements
What actions can a
steering committee
take?
• Ask a public or private agency to
conduct HIA analysis directly
• Choose a high priority project among
alternatives considered for an HIA
• Conduct interviews with community to
inform the screening process
• Synthesize community testimony from
public meetings and hearings
Challenges in HIA Screening
• Deciding between alternative projects/policies
• Choosing a project that is manageable so that
there is not a sense of being overwhelmed