Using health impact assessment in community development to improve air quality and public health

Abstract

Air pollution contributes to asthma, allergies, lung function impairment, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality. Transit-oriented development, roadway expansion, new residential and commercial development, and pollution mitigation projects impact local and regional air quality. This article discusses the use of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) by community advocates, public health and city planning departments, and regulatory agencies to ensure health impacts are considered in decision-making processes that affect air quality. HIAs encourage collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including communities facing health inequities. HIAs also use data and analysis to predict health outcomes of proposed planning and policy decisions. This article describes the collaborations, empirical assessment tools, communication and advocacy strategies, findings, recommendations, and outcomes of the following HIAs: a transit-oriented station area plan in Pittsburg, CA, grade separations funded through a policy to levy a fee on all port containers passing through major ports in California, and a freeway expansion in Los Angeles, CA.