A Review of Health Impact Assessments in the US

This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report reviews the state of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) practice in the United States by examining 81 completed HIAs across a range of sectors, including transportation, land use, energy, housing, and natural resource management. The report assesses how HIAs are being conducted, identifies current best practices, and evaluates the extent to which they incorporate stakeholder engagement, equity considerations, scientific evidence, and monitoring and evaluation. It also provides an overview of the HIA process and its role in integrating health considerations into planning and policy decisions.

Drawing on the findings of the review, the report identifies opportunities to strengthen HIA practice through improved methodological consistency, greater use of quantitative tools and environmental data, enhanced stakeholder participation, and more systematic evaluation of HIA outcomes. The resource is intended for public health professionals, environmental practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers seeking to apply or improve HIA as a tool for evidence-based policymaking. Its lessons are broadly applicable to air quality management by demonstrating how health considerations can be integrated into environmental assessments and infrastructure planning.