WHAT IS HIA?

Health Impact Assessment is a process used to identify how a project, policy or program might influence health.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) uses a combination of procedures, methods and tools to systematically judge the potential–and sometimes unintended–effects of a proposed project, plan or policy on the health of a population and the distribution of those effects within the population.

The HIA also produces recommendations to enhance the health benefits of the project/policy/program and to mitigate potential harms.

HIA is a practical tool that can:

• provide a structured process to determine a policy or project’s impact on health;
  
• enhance equity in the community;
• bring both immediate and long-term health benefits;
  
• and ensure that policy and project dollars are used efficiently to provide the greatest benefit.
  

Check out the resources page to learn more about HIA.