New Report: Promoting Impact through the Practice of Health Impact Assessment

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an important tool for understanding the health implications of proposed policies, plans, or projects on communities. Equity is a core value of HIA. Yet, as the field of HIA practitioners grows, the focus on equity has diminished. It’s critical to pay explicit attention to how equity is incorporated in the practice of HIA and develop guidance to support the implementation of equity in HIA.

PolicyLink, along with partners, the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Human Impact Partners, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability, developed a primer to provide just this type of guidance working closely with an Advisory Committee of equity and HIA leaders.

The primer, Promoting Equity through the Practice of Health Impact Assessment serves to demonstrate:

1) how HIA practitioners and equity advocates can ensure that the practice of HIA has a strong focus on promoting equity; and

2) how HIA can be used as a tool to support equitable decision-making processes and outcomes.

To view or download the primer, click here