WHIASU have created this document which looks to answer your Health Impact Assessment (HIA) questions, including looking at the benefits, what it involves and when to carry out a HIA, alongside other questions. Alongside our other resources, it can help to further your understanding of HIA.
The infographic summarises the findings, looking at the Population Groups and Determinants of Health impacted, along with the key statistics, mitigating actions and potential areas of future research. The Explanatory Note goes into further detail on the above, giving a breakdown of the evidence that informed our positive and negative findings on women, employment and health inequalities. It also offers readers the chance to see the HIA methodology that was used by the team.
This briefing focusses on adaptation to address climate change and the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) as a process that can support policy makers to maximise wellbeing benefits, minimise harm to health, and avoid widening health inequalities when designing adaptation policies. It contains five case studies – two international and three from Wales, and provides action oriented examples of putting HIA into practice.
This health impact assessment (HIA) is a strategic and comprehensive appraisal of the potential implications of climate change on population health in Wales. It provides robust evidence to inform public bodies, agencies and organisations in their preparations for, and responses to, climate change and climate change events. It aims to support adoption of policies and plans that can promote and protect health and wellbeing for all in Wales and in those population groups and geographical areas particularly at risk of negative impacts.
The outputs of the HIA available to download here are:
• An evidence based HIA Summary report
• Individual chapters on the evidence of impact of climate change on the wider determinants of health and population groups in Wales
• A set of 4 infographics
• A PowerPoint slide deck
• A Technical Report
This report provides a short summary of the findings of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement on Wales. This report is a high-level, evidence-based strategic overview. It summarises the main health, well-being and equity impacts that could potentially occur in the short and longer-term following the UK’s accession to the CPTPP.
Authors: Liz Green, Leah Silva+ 6 more
, Michael Fletcher, Louisa Petchey, Laura Morgan, Margaret Douglas, Sumina Azam, Courtney McNamara
Health Impact Assessment is a key approach used internationally to identify positive or negative impacts of policies, plans and proposals on health and well-being. In 2020, HIAs were undertaken in Scotland and Wales to identify the potential health and well-being impacts of the ‘stay at home’ and physical distancing measures implemented at the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. There is sparse evidence evaluating whether the impacts predicted in HIAs occur following policy implementation. This paper evaluates the impacts anticipated in the COVID-19 HIAs against actual observed trends.
Public health institutes have an important role in promoting and protecting the health and well-being of populations. A key focus of such institutes are the wider determinants of health, embracing the need to advocate for ‘Health in All Policies’ (HiAP). A valuable tool to support this is the health impact assessment. This scoping study aims to support public health institutes to advocate more successfully for the use of health impact assessments and HiAP in order to promote and protect health, well-being and equity. It highlights the enablers and barriers to the use of HIA in the contexts of the participants and suggests some actions which PHIs can take and Units they can learn from. The results from this study can serve as a platform to help build knowledge, networks and expertise, to help support a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach and address inequalities which exist in all societies.
Authors: Liz Green, Kathryn Ashton+ 4 more
, Lee Parry-Williams, Mariana Dyakova, Timo Clemens, Mark Bellis
This comprehensive Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment (MWIA) has been carried out by the Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit to identify the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated policy responses, on the mental wellbeing of young people aged 10-24 in Wales.
The MWIA was carried out with the engagement of young people, teachers and lecturers and the support of a Strategic Advisory Group with representatives from a range of organisations in Wales.
The report aims to provide evidence and learning to inform cross-sector policy and practice directed at pandemic recovery, future emergencies and improving population mental wellbeing for the long term.
Authors: Nerys Edmonds, Laura Morgan+ 7 more
, Huw Arfon Thomas, Michael Fletcher, Lee Parry-Williams, Laura Evans, Liz Green, Sumina Azam, Mark Bellis
The report – ‘Circular Economies and Sustainable Health and Well-being: The public health impact of public bodies refocusing on waste reduction and reuse in Wales’, details how implementing policies to reduce and re-use waste, alongside recycling schemes will have possible significant positive impacts on health and well-being for the whole population of Wales. These include contributing to tackling the climate emergency and thereby reducing air pollution, reducing risk of extreme weather events, increased sustainable production of food and improved mental health and well-being.
A new report published by Public Health Wales highlights how the combined influences of Brexit, Coronavirus and climate change will potentially see rural communities in Wales experience a time of great change, with both opportunities and negative impacts to navigate.
Authors: Liz Green, Kathryn Ashton+ 7 more
, Michael Fletcher, Laura Evans, Tracy Evans, Lee Parry-Williams, Sumina Azam, Adam Jones, Mark Bellis
The pandemic has explicitly exposed, and in some examples, exacerbated the health, well-being and inequalities impacts across the population which are derived from determinants such as the environment, land use, transport, economy and housing. This report aims to highlight the major positive and negative health impacts of spatial planning policies during the COVID-19 pandemic on the population of Wales, learn from these, any positive interventions and co-benefits in order to shape a healthier future environment for all.
Authors: Liz Green, Sue Toner+ 7 more
, Laura Evans, Lee Parry-Williams, Tom Johnson, Gemma Christian, Cheryl Williams, Sumina Azam, Mark Bellis
This comprehensive and participatory Health Impact Assessment (HIA) explores the health and well-being impact of COVID-19 on housing and housing insecurity, and looks at the importance of having a consistent home that is of good quality, affordable, and feels safe. It also considers security of tenure in relation to stability, and being able to maintain a roof over one’s head and ultimately prevent homelessness. It is the third in a series, which focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population of Wales including the ‘Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy’ and the impact of home and agile working. This report can be read in conjunction with these and the sections on housing and home working within them.
Authors: Louise Woodfine, Liz Green+ 9 more
, Laura Evans, Lee Parry-Williams, Christian Heathcote-Elliott, Charlotte Grey, Yoric Irving-Clarke, Matthew Kennedy, Catherine May, Sumina Azam, Mark Bellis
Public Health Wales has published a series of infographics highlighting the importance of climate change impact on the health and wellbeing of the population of Wales, and to support public bodies and businesses to take action to address any impacts.
Launched to coincide with the Council of Parties 26 (COP26), the infographics focus on the relationships between the natural environment and health, the population groups affected and some of the key health and wellbeing impacts of climate change and those population groups who could be affected.
This paper highlights how the combined influences of Brexit, Coronavirus and climate change will potentially impact everyone through the food that is produced, accessed, available and consumed.
Authors: Liz Green, Kathryn Ashton+ 7 more
, Adam Jones, Michael Fletcher, Laura Morgan, Tom Johnson, Tracy Evans, Sumina Azam, Mark Bellis
Public Health Wales has created a practical Health Impact Assessment (HIA) toolkit that will enable planners to easily integrate health into their development plans for the future.
Designed to help further the collaboration between planning and public health sectors in Wales the resource aims to maximise positive health and wellbeing outcomes through land use planning policies that create healthy, equitable and cohesive communities.
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