What is HIA?

Health impact assessment is intended to help make decisions by predicting the health consequences if a proposal is implemented.

In addition to assessing the health consequences it also produces recommendation as to how the good consequences for health could be enhanced and how the bad consequences could be avoided or minimised.

It aims to predict not only the overall consequences for a population but also the distribution of health impacts in that population which groups benefit and which groups lose or at least benefit less.

HIA may be used to assess policies, programmes or projects. Those undertaking the HIA should always carefully consider the requirements and the concerns of the decision makers. whom they intend to inform.

The principles and methods of HIA can be used to assess health consequences as part of another impact assessment (such as SEA or EIA). Whether the health consequences of a proposal are assessed with an HIA or as part of some other assessment is unimportant. The important thing is that they are thoroughly assessed.