Improving Health in the United States: The Role of Health Impact Assessment.

Health impact assessment is a systematic process that uses an array of data sources and analytic methods and considers stakeholder input to determine the potential effects of a proposed policy, plan, program, or project on the health of a population and the distribution of those effects within the population. HIA provides recommendations on monitoring and managing those effects. The goal of HIA is to inform decision making by bringing objective evidence to bear on identifying health consequences and suggesting actions to minimize adverse health impacts and optimize beneficial ones. This report examines the use of HIA in the United States and explores the benefits, challenges, and opportunities associated with its application across a range of sectors. It also identifies the essential elements of HIA practice and the conditions needed to support its effective implementation.

The report concludes that HIA is a valuable tool for integrating health considerations into decisions made outside the health sector. It presents a framework for conducting HIAs, discusses methodological approaches, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation, and provides recommendations for strengthening HIA practice, capacity, and institutional support. The report is intended for decision-makers, public health professionals, planners, researchers, and others seeking to incorporate health into policies and projects that influence environmental and social determinants of health.