Application Of Health Impact Assessment Research Articles

Current Global Health Impact Assessment Practice.

Health impact assessment (HIA) practice has expanded across the world, since it was established more than two decades ago. This paper presents a snapshot of current global HIA practice based on the findings of an online questionnaire survey. HIA practitioners from all world regions were invited to participate. A total of 122 HIA practitioners from 29 countries completed the survey, following a broad international outreach effort. The large variety in the types of HIAs conducted, and the application of HIA in various fields reported by respondents, demonstrates that HIA practice has evolved over the past two decades. Although differences in the use of HIA were reported across world regions, an overall increasing trend in global HIA practice can be observed. In order to sustain this upward trend, efforts are needed to address the main barriers in the utilisation of HIA. The establishment of new national and international HIA teaching and training offerings seems to be an obvious strategy to pursue along with the strengthening of policies and legal frameworks that specify the circumstances, under which HIA is required, and to what extent.

The CSG arena: a critical review of unconventional gas developments and best-practice health impact assessment in Queensland, Australia

This paper compares a government-commissioned health study of coal seam gas (CSG) developments in Queensland with international best-practice health impact assessment (HIA) methodologies. A literature review was conducted of (HIA) methods and health studies of CSG development areas in Queensland. Forty-eight interviews were conducted in the Darling Downs CSG region in Queensland. One Queensland Health report was identified but failed to meet HIA international best practice because 7 of 9 key steps were omitted. Interview participants reported poor consultation by government and industry within affected communities. Lack of and poor quality health data was found to exacerbate community tensions. We recommend application of HIAs, epidemiological studies, consultation with communities and consideration of social risks of poor quality health studies.

Evaluation of Urban Processes on Health in Historic Urban Landscape Approach: Experimentation in the Metropolitan Area of Naples (Italy)

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> Experimentally apply the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach according to the socio-ecological model of the World Health Organisation (WHO), where health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not simply the absence of disease and illness” (1986).</p><p><strong>Methodology/Approach: </strong>The methodology considers the application of HIA, a multi-criteria evaluation approach capable of organising knowledge concerning the effects that projects, plans and programmes impose upon the wellbeing/health of an urban community. The case study is the metropolitan area of Naples and it considers a system of evaluation to support the drafting of the new instrument for the territorial governance: the Territorial Metropolitan Plan.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The research has developed through the identification of the “social determinants of health” and in the construction of a set of indicators implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS), able to identify and to cartographically represent homogeneous landscape units of health.</p><p><strong>Research Limitation/implication: </strong>The virtuous connection between health and conservation, proposed in the method applied to the case study, is completely experimental because there are no other similar experiences in literature.</p><strong>Originality/Value of paper: </strong>The paper opens a prospect of research for the better understanding of spatial phenomena, creating new tools based on new technologies.

A Systematic Review of Health Impact Assessments in the Criminal Justice System

This study is a systematic review of the current and potential role of a public health tool or process called a health impact assessment (HIA) within the criminal justice system. The review explores the range of criminal justice policies, programs, and projects and their health impacts that have been evaluated by HIAs, and identifies strengths, challenges, and opportunities for the utilization of HIAs in the criminal justice system. Employing HIA clearinghouses and online databases, we conducted a two-phase sample selection that yielded 20 HIAs from the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand for inclusion. The review analyzed key characteristics of the HIAs including setting, topic, stakeholder engagement levels, funding sources, methods, and recommendations. Factors like high stakeholder engagement, adequate time and staff capacities, and community leadership made HIAs more influential on decisions made. Three case studies highlight the impacts and successful application of HIAs conducted on criminal justice issues. Health impact assessments have potential as an influential tool or process to lead better policy and program decisions in criminal justice by contributing to increasing equity and improving health.

Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating Human Health into the Environmental Assessment Process: The Canadian Experience Contextualised to International Efforts

A scoping review of the literature was conducted to identify the most pressing issues pertaining to the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the integration of health concerns into the Environmental Assessment (EA) process in Canada and internationally. The issues identified include the need for government intervention, gaps in methodology and tools, limitations of capacity and expertise, poor intersectoral, disciplinary and public collaboration/participation, challenges of data quantification and analytic complexity, and the need for process efficiency. The issues presented were also contextualised to the status quo practice of EA in Canada and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA 2012). Recommendations were proposed as a starting point for improved integration. First, a commitment by the actors involved to the protection of human health — aligned with the core mandate of the CEAA. Second, the achievement of intersectoral, disciplinary and public collaboration, led by government, ideally the health sector. The case is made for a new era of Canadian leadership and innovation at the interface of health and EA.

Integrating corporate social responsibility, health improvement, and community support in development programmes: a case for enhancing the application of health impact assessment in programme implementation in the Niger Delta region

Transnational corporations (TNCs) invest enormous resources in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. However, the effectiveness and mode of execution of these CSR activities have been subjects of continuing debate. This research was therefore carried out to elicit the perspectives of members of four local communities about the impact of the CSR interventions in the areas of health improvement and participation by members of the communities in the Niger Delta. Semi-structured questionnaires were self-completed by 182 members of the local communities in the Niger Delta; the respondents gave detailed feedback about community feelings for TNCs and their CSR efforts. The findings showed that the people generally have negative views towards the CSR practices of the TNCs. The result of a two-paired t-test showed this to be true for both men and women (P = .888, CI 95). While 69.8% of the respondents felt that the TNCs did not bring any development to their community, 87.9% had high fear of getting a disease due to the community they live in; interestingly, 90.1% wanted to be involved in decisions concerning their communities. This research therefore proposes the increased use of health impact assessment as an approach to integrate health considerations and community participation into the evaluation and implementation of development programmes in the Niger Delta. Such an approach has the potential to make CSR initiatives more effective, transparent, and minimise the tensions between communities and TNCs.

Strategies and incentives for enhancing the application of health impact assessment (HIA) in Nigeria: a view from those who should know

In consonance with the paradigm shift from curative to more preventive healthcare, there has been an increasing application of health impact assessment (HIA) in many developed countries. However, progress towards the integration of HIA into public policy in many developing countries has been comparatively very slow. This article is a primary research to evaluate the barriers and motivational factors; and to proffer effective strategies and incentives for enhancing the application of HIA in health and development policies in Nigeria. Semi-structured questionnaires were designed and primarily disseminated online to a random sample of health and non-health professionals, public service workers, policy-makers and business entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Additional questionnaires were also hand-delivered. Inferential statistics was used in the analysis of the 510 responses that were received. The findings show that 71% of the respondents had never heard about HIA, and 80.7% of those who were aware of HIA had not received any form of HIA training. However, 86.6% of the informed group strongly agreed that HIA is a necessary tool for effective public health delivery, indicating a high level of motivation and expectations about the contributions that HIA can make towards improving public health in Nigeria. It is therefore important to raise the level of awareness and training of HIA practitioners, and also political commitment for HIA. Similarly, the HIA process should be people-centred, emphasise on corporate social responsibilities and also focus on the determinants of communicable diseases in order to be relevant and sustainable in Nigeria.

Health Impact Assessment, Physical Activity and Federal Lands Trail Policy.

The objectives of this paper are to describe the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to inform trail decisions affecting a rural, under-resourced community and propose the routine integration of HIAs to enhance NEPA environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for trail decisions on federal lands. Screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, monitoring and evaluation are being used to examine the health impact of trail location and design. HIA recommendations are being integrated into the public lands National Environmental Protection Act process for planning access to a new segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Potential users from a nearby rural New Mexico community and a region of almost one million may benefit from this HIA-informed planning. HIA can be integrated into the policy and decision-making process for trails on public lands.

Place shaping to create health and wellbeing using health impact assessment: Health geography applied to develop evidence-based practice

In a political milieu where there is pressure towards localised and participative decisionmaking, and an environment of global recession and environmental degradation, it is crucial that population health considerations inform strategic decisions. The paper puts forward 'place shaping to create health and wellbeing' as a strategic tool, drawing on ideas that are fundamental in health geography, and argues that this is an important emerging application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA), as part of evidence-based practice. These views developed primarily from case study work in the North East of England aiming to enhance health and wellbeing in a population with significant health disadvantages.

Health Impact Assessment as an Accountability Mechanism for the International Monetary Fund: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

Health impact assessment (HIA) is both an effective tool for promoting healthy public policies and one that has the potential to help hold accountable for their actions those who create unhealthy public policies. This article identifies some of the issues that arise in considering the application of HIA to the operation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), especially in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. The authors do this in the belief that the IMF's lending conditionalities and macroeconomic policies constitute an important social determinant of health. The recent report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health has created helpful and timely policy space for the development of a health equity- and human rights-oriented accountability framework for the IMF.

How Can We Address Health Inequality Through Healthy Public Policy in Europe?

In many parts of the world, there is growing commitment to the idea that public policy and public interventions in all domains (not only the medical and public health sector) should be scrutinized in terms of their potential impact on public health for the populations affected. Prospective Health Impact Assessment (HIA) considers the likely significance of these potential public health outcomes. This article considers some examples of strategies which are being used in European countries to facilitate HIA. These are interpreted in terms of theories of a world risk society , put forward by Ulrich Beck. The application of HIA to promote healthy public policy is complex because it crosses professional, disciplinary and geographical borders and involves some challenging issues of knowledge translation and social construction of environmental risks. It therefore shares some characteristics with other forms of regional planning for sustainable development.This article considers the relevance of literature from regional science concerning the appropriate scale and type of agency to handle complex regional planning issues and how to create learning regions that successfully integrate new knowledge into regional policy. HIA also poses some broader general questions about the role of science in society.This article considers the implications for the communication of research findings on health risk, and the contribution of geography and regional science to interdisciplinary research in this field.

Developing health impact assessment in the European Union.

It is not surprising that the use of impact assessments has been pioneered at local and regional levels, where the potential impacts of a proposal cover a limited geographical area and the projects tend to be specific and tangible, such as infrastructure plans for roads and airports. Evaluating the potential impact of a piece of legislation, or even a whole policy area, is much more complex; to do so at the European Union (EU) level adds further layers of complexity. As EU interest in health matters and powers regarding them has increased, so has its interest in intersectoral approaches to health. This is attributable to several factors. First, the European Community's involvement in health is largely through work outside its narrow public health competence. Secondly, there is already a strong tradition of impact assessments within the Community, in particular environmental impact assessment (EIA). Thirdly, the Community institutions are insisting on coherent approaches to health across policies. An initial starting point to understanding the rationale behind applying health impact assessment (HIA) within the EU is to examine the legal base of its activities. The Treaty of Rome stipulates, in Article 152, "A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities". This obligation is unique compared with most Member States in introducing a basic requirement to give consideration to possible health implications of measures and actions. The European Commission has put into place procedures to implement the Treaty objective. These include a mandatory consultation of the Commission's Directorate General in charge of health on proposals for policy or legislation with a potential health dimension. Moreover, the Interservice Group on Health was established to coordinate health-related initiatives across different areas of Community policy. Strengthening health-related work is a central priority of the current Commission; the Community's health strategy, published in May 2000 (Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, COM (2000) 285 final of 16.5.2000), ensures coherence and coordination between health-related policy areas. In order to improve understanding of how different policy areas link to health, the Commission has taken an interest in the assessment of health impacts of policies, legislation and proposals, the scientific background and methodology of the impact assessment, and its application to decision-making processes. As far as the application of HIA is concerned, the Commission has drawn on national experiences across Europe--set out elsewhere--and on experiences with related impact assessments at Community level. The Community's EIA legislation foresees compulsory impact assessments to be undertaken for projects of a certain size and cost. Effects on human beings, which must include health effects, are an integral part of the EIA regulatory framework. It is not surprising that in some countries HIA has developed as a sub-speciality of EIA. However, health issues tend not to be in the forefront of regular EIAs. Experience in the Community has therefore been to develop independent work on HIA, while at the same time exploring synergies with and connections to other impact assessments. Especially at Community level, a number of key questions arise concerning the application of HIA (summarized in Box 1). These questions need to be answered convincingly before large investments in health impact assessments would be feasible. For example, the amount of research and analysis necessary to assess a particular policy or proposal will differ considerably from case to case. Decisions have to be taken on whether--because of time pressures--a superficial analysis is sufficient or whether in-depth analysis is required. …

Health impact assessment of agriculture and food policies: lessons learnt from the Republic of Slovenia.

The most important public health priority in agricultural policy-making is currently food safety, despite the relatively higher importance of food security, nutrition, and other agricultural-related health issues in terms of global burden of disease. There is limited experience worldwide of using health impact assessment (HIA) during the development of agriculture and food policies, which perhaps reflects the complex nature of this policy sector. This paper presents methods of HIA used in the Republic of Slovenia, which is conducting a HIA of proposed agricultural and food policies due to its accession to the European Union. It is the first time that any government has attempted to assess the health effects of agricultural policy at a national level. The HIA has basically followed a six-stage process: policy analysis; rapid appraisal workshops with stakeholders from a range of backgrounds; review of research evidence relevant to the agricultural policy; analysis of Slovenian data for key health-related indicators; a report on the findings to a key cross-government group; and evaluation. The experience in Slovenia shows that the HIA process has been a useful mechanism for raising broader public health issues on the agricultural policy agenda, and it has already had positive results for policy formation. HIA is one useful approach to more integrated policy-making across sectors, but clearly it is not the only mechanism to achieve this. A comparison of the approach used in Slovenia with HIA methods in other countries and policy contexts shows that there are still many limitations with HIA application at a government level. Lessons can be learnt from these case studies for future development and application of HIA that is more relevant to policy-makers, and assists them in making more healthy policy choices.