HIA - Health Impact Assessment
Faculty of HMNBS
Research Projects The following information highlights some of the current and recently completed HIA projects being undertaken at Deakin University , and in conjunction with other relevant Australian and New Zealand organisations. Previous HIA projects: Taking it to the streets: Health Impact Assessment as a health promoting activity to reduce inequalities within the community Funded by: VicHealth This research project explored the application of HIA within community settings. As the application of HIA to policies and decision-making is a relatively new endeavour in Australia , little consideration has been paid to its role as a health promotion tool at community level. A review of literature on the application of HIA to healthy public policy internationally showed that up until now little attention is being paid to the contribution that it can make to promoting community health and building capacity through participation and consultation. Whilst discussion on best practice in HIA incorporates the desire for high levels of community involvement, in reality there is no systematic review of how this is occurring and what the outcomes are for projects that have worked this way. Process issues (i.e. how the HIA has been conducted) have taken precedence over consideration of either the benefits for the community or how the use of HIA in the policy development process within the community can impact upon perceptions of health or the goal of reducing inequalities. The result is that many of the issues associated with the application of HIA at the community level are not being addressed. This study outlines the benefits that HIA has provided at community level and introduces a typology of possible approaches. Factors that need to be considered in the application of HIA as a health promotion activity are identified. Positioning of Health Impact Assessment in Local Government in Victoria Funded by: Department of Human Services, Public Health Research Grant Scheme This 12-month research study aimed to explore the application of HIA within local government in Victoria . Specifically it sought to:
This research was undertaken at three levels: consultation with staff in local governments overseas who have applied HIA in order to identify the key lessons that could be learnt; a review of the published literature; and consultation with people working in, or affiliated with, local government decision making processes in Victoria to gain an understanding of the role that HIA can play in putting health and inequalities on the planning agenda in Victoria. This involved partnership working with two DHS Regional Offices and with 2 specific municipalities to explore the potential application of HIA to their planning processes in order to understand how it could be applied and managed in the future in Victoria. A very detailed report was produced that indicated the range of options suited to the Victorian policy and planning environment. Capacity Building in Health Impact Assessment for the Department of Human Services: Victoria Funded by: Department of Human Services, Public Health Group The HIA Research Unit is working with the Department of Human Services to explore how HIA might be positioned within state government and the level of support that is required. The project is ongoing and explores the feasibility of introducing Health Impact Assessment as a means of routinely determining the effects of government policies on health and the reduction of inequalities. The project is exploring the mechanisms that will be required for intersectoral working in respect to the development of healthy public policy, the capacity building needs of staff, the HIA tools that are suitable and is establishing the infrastructure to underpin it. The work has involved an extensive consultation process with people who have been involved in the development of HIA in government in other jurisdictions. The first phase of work was completed in mid-June 2005 and Phase 2 commenced soon after. This phase consisted of workforce training and development and the development of tools appropriate to the Victorian policy processes. HIA will ideally be introduced as part of the public policy development process and carried out on all new policies and strategies. Health Impact Assessment - Development of tools to support decision making at East Gippsland Shire Council Funded by: East Gippsland Shire Council through DHS Good Practice Funding This project involves the development of an understanding of the important aspects related to the positioning and application of HIA in East Gippsland Shire Council. It utilises three different methods: a review and audit; consultations with key stakeholders and development and trialing of tools supported by appropriate staff training. Additionally, a comprehensive review and audit exercise which results in production of a map of potential links between policy and practice within the Council to identify the areas that have the potential to directly impact on the determinants of health and thus the appropriate role for HIA within the organisation. The steps involved providing a context for the development of appropriate draft tools, processes, protocols, manuals and training programs can proceed. Trialing two methods, a rapid HIA process and HIA screening tool(s), whilst applying a fully participatory approach with Councilors and staff. The outcomes include a report that details achievements reached through the two trial stages and consideration of the value that HIA can add to the relevant decision making processes in the East Gippsland Shire Council. HIA and Social Exclusion: Exploring the links This PhD research project explores the conceptual links between HIA and social exclusion using a whole of government policy initiative that seeks to reduce exclusion and improve the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged communities. The policy initiative is the Victorian government 'Neighbourhood Renewal' scheme. Neighbourhood Renewal also aims to reduce inequalities between the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and their surrounding communities by improving the quality of housing, and focusing on employment, education, crime and social connectedness. The research project explores the potential links between policies and health and will develop a set of enabling strategies/principles which will guide the application of health impact assessments within governance processes in regeneration schemes. Piloting of HIA approaches has been undertaken in two metropolitan communities in Melbourne . The research is being undertaken in partnership with the Department of Human Services, Public Health Division in two regions and with two Neighbourhood Renewal Schemes. Exploring the theoretical assumptions and epistemological drivers underpinning policy-linked Health Impact Assessment The aim of the PhD research project is to explore some of the theoretical assumptions and epistemological drivers underpinning HIA so that the potential impact of it as a tool for policy development can be better understood. The application of HIA to policy development in both health and non-health sectors is being explored as a way of identifying assumptions embedded within or underlying HIA and the impacts of these on practice. Assumptions, gaps and issues of knowledge, power, and certainty will be explored. The study involves key informant interviews with the seminal thinkers who have been influential in the development of policy-linked HIA and discourse analysis of the main journal articles within the field. Recently completed projects: Equity-focused Health Impact Assessment: working collaboratively to develop a strategic framework (2002 - 2004) Funded by: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing through the Public Health Education Research Program Innovations Grant 2 This project developed, tested and disseminated a framework for equity-focused health impact assessment. The framework comprised of a menu of analytical methods so that policy, planning and service decisions might be evaluated for their potential to increase or decrease health inequalities. The project had three phases: phase one included a review of the literature and the development of the framework, in consultation with case study partners, international and national advisors, and focus groups of decision-makers and program implementers. The framework was tested in five case study settings. The case study partners are the NZ Ministry of Health, ACT Health, the John Hunter Hospital Newcastle, the NHMRC, and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Case study testing commenced in September 2003 and a conference was conducted in August 2004 to disseminate the results of the case studies and to release the framework. Integrating Health Impact Assessment into the Triple Bottom Line concept (2002 - 2003) Funded by: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing through the Public Health Education Research Program as an extension to the Innovations Grant Round 1 funding. This theoretical study explored the links between the triple bottom line concept (TBL) and the principles of HIA and considered the potential role of HIA in providing a mechanism for integrating health concerns within a broader agenda of government and business. TBL is a framework that underpins and reviews environmental, economic and social performance of organisations. It is linked to the broader sustainability agenda. In its simplest form it acts as a tool for reporting to stakeholders/shareholders on their performance and the nature of the impacts they have had on the community. It is increasingly being used by governments as a way of accounting for their performance. The links to HIA are clear as both seek to determine the impact (potential and actual) on the health and wellbeing of the population. The study involved qualitative interviews with 14 key policymakers and researchers, an international literature review and exploration of three case studies of organisations which were integrating TBL within their business plans. The report concludes that TBL is operating at four different levels within organisations ranging from reporting through to full integration within organisation's goals and practices. Health is narrowly defined within TBL and there are clear tensions about how to undertake the social accountability functions. The study shows the potential role for HIA within the broader policy and accountability agendas. HIA has a great deal to offer people struggling to come to terms with how impact can be assessed. Darebin City Council - Potential Health Impacts of the Proposed Family Violence Strategy: Report of the Rapid Health Impact Assessment (October 2003) Partnership project: Deakin University HIA Unit and the City of Darebin Violence Working Party Throughout 2003, the HIA Unit worked with the City of Darebin Family Violence Working Group to undertake a Rapid Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment of their proposed Family Violence Strategy. The strategy, entitled 'Safer Families, Safer Communities' was developed through a highly consultative process with representatives from support agencies, the police and the court system to seek funding from the Family and Community Services Department of the Commonwealth Government. The strategy includes prevention and early intervention components. Once the strategy was drafted, a Rapid Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment was convened on June 24th 2003 with key stakeholders. The outcome was the production of a negotiated report which makes recommendations about the rolling out the strategy within the community which takes account of potential health impacts for different groups within the community. The report introduces the strategy, explains the recommendations which arose out of the workshop and subsequent Family Violence Working Group meetings, explores the published evidence on both the (potential and known) links between family violence and health and the proposed strategy and health. Health Impact Assessment: a tool for policy development in Australia (2001- 2002) Funded by: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing through the Public Health Education Research Program Innovations Grant 1 HIA in Australia has traditionally focused on the impacts of change on the biophysical environment on both the environments and on human health. In recent years it has become evident that HIA techniques can, and should be applied to the full range of human activities including the development of policies, projects and programs. This project was designed to provide a platform for substantive collaboration between the Commonwealth Department of Health, the Australian States and Territories through the National Public Health Partnership, universities and allied organisations as well as overseas organisations. It sought to develop an understanding of HIA as a tool for policy development in the Australian context by identifying and reporting on the strengths/weaknesses, obstacles and limitations, opportunities, lessons learnt from overseas, potential applications and training and capacity building needs of the Australian public health workforce. The task was to determine whether policy linked HIA is possible, practicable and realistic in the Australian context. An extremely comprehensive review of HIA as it is applied overseas was undertaken and the report provides a detailed exploration of HIA and recommendations for future action in Australia . Development of a framework for a Rapid Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Tool for the Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Strategy (2002) Partnership project: Deakin University and the Department of Human Services Community Services Department. This project focused on the development of a specialist rapid health and wellbeing framework that could be applied by the Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Task Force to the policies and strategies being developed within the Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Strategy (VIFVS). The VIFVS is being developed as a whole-of government strategy between the Department of Human Services and Aboriginal Affairs Victoria. In the light of limited research into the links between policy, family violence and health, this exploratory study explored the feasibility of considering health impacts within the Strategy. The study involved key informant interviews with of individuals who possess specialist expertise relevant including people with expertise in the strategy, indigenous family violence, indigenous health and wellbeing, indigenous policy making, and specialist health impact assessors. Documents were also used as evidence in the development of the framework communities. A framework which outlines how the HIA should be undertaken and when it should be positioned within the strategy development processes was forwarded to the task Force. Additionally a collection of evidence on the known links between family violence and health was forwarded. As the strategy development process is closed and is driven by the needs of the Victorian indigenous community, no attempt has been made to follow up on the work with the Taskforce. |
