How do you conduct a health impact assessment for a proposed urban development project?

A Health Impact Assessment can have financial benefits in the long-term. Premiums on insurance can be lowered for that area if the risks are lowered. HIA generally makes the area aesthetically appealing when considering the environment, and therefore, will attract more people to that area, increasing tax revenues and helping to decrease the gap in socioeconomic statuses.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a systematic and participatory tool that assesses the potential health consequences of proposed actions or policies on a defined population. It offers evidence-based recommendations to amplify positive effects and mitigate negative ones. Crucially, HIA informs the public and stakeholders about health implications, fostering their engagement in decision-making. Its importance lies in safeguarding and enhancing the health and well-being of communities, particularly vulnerable or disadvantaged ones.

Conducting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for an urban development project involves four key steps: screening, scoping, assessment, and reporting. Screening determines if a HIA is necessary and feasible. Scoping defines the HIA's scope, objectives, methods, and stakeholders. Assessment analyzes baseline health status, identifies potential impacts, and evaluates their magnitude, distribution, and likelihood. Reporting presents findings, recommendations, and limitations transparently.

By taking into account stakeholder engagement and participation, it is more likely that the HIA will be approved and maintained. It allows the people to take ownership and be educated along the way, knowing that they have a voice that’s being heard.

When conducting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), key factors to consider include the project and population context, encompassing location, size, duration, purpose, design, demography, health status, determinants, and equity. Assessing direct and indirect impacts on air quality, noise, water, soil, biodiversity, climate change, transportation, housing, social cohesion, mental health, and service access is vital. Utilizing diverse data sources like scientific literature, statistics, surveys, interviews, and stakeholder engagement ensures comprehensive evaluation and participation from project proponents, authorities, experts, communities, and civil society organizations.

Examples of Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) for urban development projects include the evaluation of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which assessed health effects on host communities and proposed measures to optimize benefits and mitigate risks. Similarly, the HIA for the WestConnex motorway project in Sydney, Australia, targeted local residents and commuters, recommending strategies to reduce air pollution, noise, and traffic congestion. In Istanbul, Turkey, an HIA for the Metrobus project focused on public transport users and the general populace, offering suggestions to enhance safety, accessibility, and affordability.

Listening to local residents, reviewing existing research and requesting data sets from local community facing health agencies especially with a social indicators of health framework. More than likely much of what is needed is already published. The job for those coming in is to prioritize those placebased relationships to daylight recommendations for the project. These major projects are never created in a vacuum.

Monitoring and evaluation of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and its outcomes are crucial for assessing effectiveness and impact. Monitoring involves collecting and analyzing data on HIA implementation and progress, while evaluation assesses quality and outcomes. These processes provide feedback and learning opportunities for the HIA team, project proponents, authorities, and stakeholders. They identify best practices, challenges, and avenues for improvement in future HIA applications.