What is HIA

Health Impact Assessment, or HIA, is a consensus building process around the future positive and negative health consequences of changes that affect defined populations of people. It may be integrated with other forms of impact assessment (ESHIA/ESIA), or stand-alone.

The objective

to ensure that people are protected from the negative consequences of those changes

to ensure that people gain fully from the positive consequences of those changes

Definition of health

A broad definition of health is used, encompassing all of the following:

well-being

disease

infirmity

Well-being includes physical, social, mental, and spiritual well-being.

The process

Health impact assessment is a process as much as a method.  the process includes:

screening and scoping

timing and budget

developing consensus

writing a good Terms of Reference (TOR)

choosing a qualified assessor

engaging with stakeholders

managing interfaces

reviewing the output

developing management plans.