scholarly journals The challenge of assessing social cohesion in health impact assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Romagon ◽  
Francoise Jabot
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Negative Impacts

Summary Health impact assessment (HIA) is a method by which a policy, programme or project falling outside traditional health fields, may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population to mitigate negative impacts and strengthen the positive ones. Proposals are analysed from the perspective of all the determinants of health. In France, HIAs are mainly applied to urban development projects where social cohesion (SCo) is a major issue. Although the HIA method is well structured as a step-by-step process, there are no guidelines for assessing SCo. This article opens with literature review to clarify the concept of SCo and to understand how the built environment influences SCo and how social environment influence health. Drawing on this work, this paper presents an analytical framework to assess SCo, integrating both the spatial and physical dimensions of urban design and the perceptions of the neighbourhood characteristics. Following a brief overview of the key findings from applying this framework to HIA of an urban development project, the paper discusses its related strengths and weaknesses. The framework could be a useful tool for HIA as it embraces knowledge from both urban planning and social sciences. It also allows for an overall analysis of all the indicators without relying on a checklist. Nevertheless, it should be tested further to improve its validity.

Tackling social inequalities in health: acceptability and feasibility of a systematic approach toward health impact assessment of urban projects

2021 ◽  
pp. 175797592199546
Author(s):  
Geneviève Bretagne ◽  
Jeanne Blanc-Février ◽  
Thierry Lang
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Original Method ◽  
Social Inequalities In Health ◽  
Inequalities In Health ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: The general objective of this research project was to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an original method intended to systematically identify urban planning projects whose potential impacts on health and social inequalities in health (SIH) would be most damaging. An approach based on a short meeting and a tool would help to discuss whether or not to engage in a more comprehensive health impact assessment. Methods: A tool was developed by the research team based on various tools reported in the literature and modified with urban planners. Meetings were organized for each development project with the volunteer planners, who were working on the projects selected. Reviews of six projects at different stages of design made it possible to assess the acceptability and feasibility of this approach to identify public health and social equity issues in health. Results: The process and the use of the tool were found to be feasible. The tool was easily understandable, adapted to the practices of planners and usable without real training other than a quick introduction to tool usage. It was also found to be acceptable. Despite an interest in the inclusion of SIH, the integration of the relationship between SIH and urban development was not easy for most of the urban planners. Conclusion: This exploratory work suggests that a systematic approach to assessing the impact of urban projects on health and SIH is feasible and acceptable. Dealing with SIH was not found to be easy by the urban planners.

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 Impact Assessment of Urban Development Project

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa Shojaei ◽  
Masoud Karimlou ◽  
Farahnaz Mohammadi ◽  
Hosein Malekafzali
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Positive Effect

<p><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Health impact assessment (HIA) has emerged to identify those activities and policies likely to have major impacts on the health of a population.</p><p><strong>METHOD:</strong> In this research, qualitative method was applied to identifying health determinants that urban man made lake affect on them, formatting and weighing the hierarchy of the factors, calculating AHP, and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method for decide and ranking alternatives.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> According to the results of the study, from the structural determinants point of view, the most positive effect of man-made lake was on Recreational services by 89.5% and the most negative one was on housing. According to intermediary determinants and general average, the most positive effect of lake was on physical activity and quality of air by 88.9% and the most negative one was on noise pollution by 46.7%. Ultimately, considering the positive and negative effects of lake between constructing and not constructing the lake option, the construction option was selected.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> There is substantial potential to improve public health by bringing decision makers’ attention to the health consequences of their actions; city councilpersons, zoning commissioners, and other decision makers typically have little background in health.<strong> </strong></p>

A CASE STUDY OF THE "TOWARDS 2010" PROGRAMME HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (04) ◽  
pp. 403-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHAUKAT ALI ◽  
VICKY O'CALLAGHAN ◽  
JOHN D. MIDDLETON
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Negative Impacts

A health impact assessment case study of an innovative "Towards 2010" programme aiming to bring together health and social care organisations is described. The aim of the assessment was to inform the decision makers which of the four service reconfiguration options being considered would bring about significant benefits to the health and wellbeing of the local population. Overall, 600 positive and negative impacts were predicted across 11 broad determinants of health including employment and economy, education, transport, housing, visual amenity (environment), access to services, crime, lifestyle, pollution, health inequalities and family and social cohesion. The findings suggest that two of the four options seem to offer the best opportunity for improving the health and wellbeing of the local population and for linking into wider regeneration initiatives within the programme area. The outcome of the HIA places decision makers in a better informed position to develop appropriate policies for maximising positive and mitigating negative aspects of the proposals.

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