what is hia

what is hia

1 year ago 96
Nature

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a practical approach used to judge the potential health effects of a policy, program, or project on a population, particularly on vulnerable or disadvantaged groups. It is a process that helps evaluate the potential health effects of a plan, project, or policy before it is built or implemented. HIA seeks to maximize the positive health impacts and minimize the negative health impacts of proposed policies, programs, or projects. The procedures of HIA are similar to those used in other forms of impact assessment, such as environmental impact assessment or social impact assessment.

The main objective of HIA is to apply existing knowledge and evidence about health impacts to specific social and community contexts, to develop evidence-based recommendations that inform decision-making in order to protect and improve community health and wellbeing. Because of financial and time constraints, HIAs do not generally involve new research or the generation of original scientific knowledge.

The major steps in conducting an HIA include screening, scoping, assessing risks and benefits, developing recommendations, reporting, and evaluating. HIAs are similar in some ways to environmental impact assessments (EIAs), which are mandated processes that focus on environmental outcomes such as air and water quality. However, unlike EIAs, HIAs can be voluntary or regulatory processes that focus on health outcomes such as obesity, physical inactivity, asthma, injuries, and social equity.

HIA provides a way to engage with members of the public affected by a particular proposal, allowing their messages to be heard. It also helps decision-makers make choices about alternatives and improvements to prevent disease or injury and to actively promote health. HIA is based on the four interlinked values of democracy (promoting stakeholder participation), equity (considering the impact on the whole population), sustainable development, and the ethical use of evidence.

HIA can be a valuable tool for helping to develop policy and assisting decision-makers in various areas. It can show that an organization or partnership wants to involve a community and is willing to respond constructively to their concerns. HIA is a consolidated approach to estimate and anticipate the consequences of policies, plans, programs, and projects. It is a key resource for achieving foresight in societal decision-making, systematically deployed worldwide.

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