Do transition towns have the potential to promote health and well-being? A health impact assessment of a transition town initiative

Public Health ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 126 (11) ◽  
pp. 982-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Richardson ◽  
A. Nichols ◽  
T. Henry
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Transition Towns ◽  
Health And Well Being

scholarly journals Process, Practice and Progress: A Case Study of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of Brexit in Wales

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6652
Author(s):  
Liz Green ◽  
Kathryn Ashton ◽  
Nerys Edmonds ◽  
Sumina Azam
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
World Health ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
Support Unit ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Health impact assessment (HIA) is a systematic and flexible tool, which is advocated by the World Health Organisation as a method through which to consider the impact of policies on the health and well-being of a population, and the inequalities that may arise because of it. In 2018, the HIA support unit in Wales carried out a comprehensive and unique HIA on the impact of Brexit in Wales. The aims were to understand the differential impacts that Brexit would have on the health and well-being of the population and to provide evidence to inform decision makers across a range of public bodies. It followed a five-step process for HIA and utilised a wide range of evidence sources and health intelligence including both quantitative and qualitative evidence. This paper reflects on the process of carrying out the HIA and the methods used. It discusses the stages of the HIA, and shares the findings and reflections of implementation which will be beneficial to other HIA practitioners and policy makers. It does not concentrate on the findings of the HIA in detail, but focusses on what worked and any challenges encountered. It has been used to progress the practice of HIA in Wales and demonstrates the value of HIA as a method to inform and influence complex decisions.

scholarly journals Using health impact assessment (HIA) to understand the wider health and well-being implications of policy decisions: the COVID-19 ‘staying at home and social distancing policy’ in Wales

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Green ◽  
Kathryn Ashton ◽  
Sumina Azam ◽  
Mariana Dyakova ◽  
Timo Clemens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Policy Decisions ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Staying At Home

Abstract Background Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is promoted as a decision-informing tool by public health and governmental agencies. HIA is beneficial when carried out as part of policy development but is also valuable as a methodology when a policy is being implemented to identify and understand the wider health and well-being impacts of policy decisions, particularly when a decision needs to be taken rapidly to protect the population. This paper focusses on a HIA of the ‘Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy’ or ‘lockdown’ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales conducted by the Welsh national public health institute. It describes the process and findings, captures the learning and discusses how the process has been used to better understand the wider health and well-being impacts of policy decisions beyond direct health harm. It also examines the role of public health institutes in promoting and using HIA. Methods A HIA was conducted following a standard HIA five step process. A literature review was undertaken alongside 15 qualitative semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and relevant health and demographic data were collated. The results were triangulated and analysed to form a holistic assessment of the policy decision and its impacts. Results A wide range of major health and well-being impacts of the lockdown in Wales were identified across the determinants of health, which included positive and negative social, economic, environmental and mental well-being impacts beyond the impact on direct health. Populations affected included children and young people, those on low incomes and women as well as those whose health has been directly impacted by COVID-19 such as older people. The work highlighted the benefit that HIA can bring in emphasizing impacts which can inform policy and shared learning with others. Conclusion HIA is a largely underused tool to understand the impact of policy and political decisions, particularly when a decision has been taken at speed. This case study highlights how HIA provide evidence and information for advocacy and further work by public health institutes, health agencies and policy makers.

scholarly journals The Public Health Implications of Brexit in Wales: A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Green
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract On March 29th 2019, the United Kingdom was due to exit the European Union (EU) in a process known informally as ‘Brexit’. The 2 years before this time (and ongoing) experienced a period of unprecedented political and social upheaval with many unknowns and much uncertainty attached to the outcomes and future impact of withdrawal and transitionary period. Public Health Wales commissioned the Wales Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Support Unit to carry out a HIA of Brexit in Wales to assess the potential impact, extent and nature of ‘Brexit’ on health and wellbeing in Wales which would to inform its planning, future work and support other bodies decision-making, planning and policymaking. A comprehensive HIA was conducted over a 6 month period in 2018/19, steered by a Strategic Advisory Group. Methods included; a literature review; stakeholder workshop; interviews with policy leads, a community health profile, and report with evidence synthesis. Trade agreements, economic impacts, changing relationships with EU agencies, uncertainty and loss of regulatory alignment were key pathways for health impacts to occur. Potential impacts included; food standards/safety; environmental regulations; working conditions; and health and social care. Many impacts will affect the whole population. Vulnerable populations included; children/young people; those at risk of unemployment;Welsh areas receiving significant EU funding. Potential indirect impacts were identified on mental well-being. Brexit has the potential to impact significantly on the determinants of health.The HIA has informed and influenced cross-sector planning and policy in response to the short/long-term implications of Brexit to ensure that health and inequalities are considered at every juncture.This unique work demonstrates continued leadership by Wales in the field of impact assessment and ‘health in policies’ and has been positively received. It has transferable learnings for many nation states and health policy leads. Key messages Brexit is a major policy change with major health impacts. HIA is an informative and influencing process to support planning and future policy making.

scholarly journals Environmental assessment and health impact assessment

2018 ◽  
pp. 304-311
Author(s):  
Salim Vohra ◽  
Marla Orenstein ◽  
Francesca Viliani ◽  
Ben Cave ◽  
Ben Harris-Roxas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Precautionary Principle ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
New Policies

Systematically and holistically considering the community health impacts of new policies and projects is critical. Impact assessment (IA) is a key component of national, international, and many commercial policy and project development and decision-making processes. Health impact assessment (HIA) and the health component of environmental assessment (health in EA) analyses both the potential positive and negative health impacts of policies and projects. HIA and health in EA by engaging stakeholders and incorporating a range of sources and types of evidence can maximize the positive and minimize the negative impacts. This means that precautionary principle is implicitly or explicitly a part of the IA process. There are a range of significant challenges in applying IAs and in applying the precautionary principle, particularly in the IA process. Public health professionals need to engage in the IA process, in HIAs and in Health in EAs, to protect and promote community health and well-being.

scholarly journals ‘Health in All Policies’—A Key Driver for Health and Well-Being in a Post-COVID-19 Pandemic World

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9468
Author(s):  
Liz Green ◽  
Kathryn Ashton ◽  
Mark A. Bellis ◽  
Timo Clemens ◽  
Margaret Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Health In All Policies ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Time To Build ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

Policy in all sectors affects health, through multiple pathways and determinants. Health in all policies (HiAP) is an approach that seeks to identify and influence the health and equity impacts of policy decisions, to enhance health benefits and avoid harm. This usually involves the use of health impact assessment or health lens analysis. There is growing international experience in these approaches, and some countries have cross-sectoral governance structures that prioritize the assessment of the policies that are most likely to affect health. The fundamental elements of HiAP are inter-sectoral collaboration, policy influence, and holistic consideration of the range of health determinants affected by a policy area or proposal. HiAP requires public health professionals to invest time to build partnerships and engage meaningfully with the sectors affecting the social determinants of health and health equity. With commitment, political will and tools such as the health impact assessment, it provides a powerful approach to integrated policymaking that promotes health, well-being, and equity. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the profile of public health and highlighted the links between health and other policy areas. This paper describes the rationale for, and principles underpinning, HiAP mechanisms, including HIA, experiences, challenges and opportunities for the future.

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