What is a Health Impact Assessment?
A Health Impact Assessment is a
systematic process that:
-
Uses qualitative and quantitative methods and best available data sources;
-
Considers input from
stakeholders;
-
Determines potential
effects of a proposed policy, program or
project across other
sectors on health;
and
-
Provides recommendations
to monitor and manage potential effects.
What are the Steps to Conduct a Health
Impact Assessment?
|
Step |
Description |
|
Screening |
Determines the need
and value of an
assessment.
|
|
Scoping |
Identifies which
health impacts to
evaluate, methods for
analysis and a work
plan.
|
|
Assessment |
Provides:
a) A profile of a current health status
b) Evaluation of potential positive and negative health impacts
|
|
Recommendations |
Provide strategies to
manage identifies
adverse health impacts
and maximize benefits to
health.
|
|
Reporting |
Includes:
a) Development of a report
b) Communication of findings & recommendations
|
|
Monitoring |
Tracks:
a) Impacts on decision-making processes and the decision
b) Impacts of the decision on health determinants
|
|
|
Health Impact Assessments in California and Los Angeles County
HIAs are a new and emerging public
health tool.
As of July 2019, a total of 84 assessments have been completed or are in
progress across the state of California.1 As shown in Figure 1, most of these assessments
focus on health impacts of policies or projects related
to the built environment, transportation and housing.
|
Figure 1. Completed and In Progress Health Impact
Assessments in California by Sector.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has completed 10 of these HIAs
to date:
Menu Labeling
2,
Reducing Sodium in the County of Los Angeles
3,
Providing Free Public Transportation Passes to Students in Los Angeles County
4,
Parks After Dark
5,
Transit alternatives to Wilshire Corridor from mid-town Los Angeles to Santa Monica
6,
Second Chance Women's Re-Entry Court
7,
Affordable and Transit-Oriented Housing Policies for the City of Los Angeles
8,
Preventing and Reducing Homelessness in Los Angeles County
9,
Mobility Plan for the City of Los Angeles
10, and
Cannabis Regulation in Los Angeles County
11.
The Center for Health Impact Evaluation has also
published a toolkit of best practices for rapid health
impact assessments, which you can access here.
References
- Health Impact Project. HIAs and Other Resources to Advance Health-Informed Decisions.
The PEW Charitable Trusts. Accessed July 11, 2019.
-
Kuo T, Jarosz CJ, Simon P, Fielding JE. Menu Labeling as a Potential Strategy for Combating the Obesity Epidemic: A Health Impact Assessment. American Journal of Public Health. 2009;99(9):1680-1686. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.153023
-
Kim GY, Cummings PL. The Potential Health Impact of Reducing Excess Sodium Consumption in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2010.
-
Gase LN, DeFosset A, Kuo T. The Potential Costs and Benefits of Providing Free Public Transportation Passes to Students in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2013.
-
Butler K, Fischer K. Potential Costs and Health Benefits of Parks After Dark: Rapid Health Impact Assessment. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2014.
-
Cole B, Fielding J, Jackson R, et al. Wilshire Corridor Transit Alternatives: Health Impact Assessment. University of California Los Angeles & Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2013.
-
Butler K, Pourshaban D, Center for Health Impact Evaluation. Health and Public Safety Impacts of Sustaining a Womens Jail Diversion Program in Los Angeles County: Rapid Health Impact Assessment. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2015.
-
Nicholas W, Mullholand Graves E. Initiative Ordinance JJJ: Affordable and Transit-Oriented Housing Policies for the City of Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2016.
-
Nicholas W. Measure H: Preventing and Reducing Homelessness in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2017.
-
Nicholas W, Vidyanti I, Caesar E, Maizlish N. Implementing the City of LAs Mobility Plan 2035: Public Health Implications. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2018.
-
Nicholas W, Greenwell L, Washburn F, et al. Health Equity Implications of Retail Cannabis Regulation in Los Angeles County: Health Impact Assessment. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; 2019.
