A health impact assessment (HIA) is a process for describing and estimating the effects a proposed project or policy may have on the health of a population. For this assignment, imagine you are asked to conduct a HIA for a proposed waste management facility in your community.
- Provide an overview and description of the stages of an health impact assessment. How is it different from other forms of assessment, such as an environmental impact assessment or a community health assessment?
- What information would you need about the proposed project?
- What information would you need about the community to understand the potential health effects?
- What recommendations would you propose to promote positive health effects? What recommendations would you propose to mitigate adverse health effects?
- Which decision makers would need this information? Why?
This assignment uses a grading rubric. The rubric below will be used to grade the assignment:
- Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
- Overview must be comprehensive and provides sufficient description of an HIA. A clear analysis regarding how an HIA differs from other assessments is provided.
- Thoughtfully analyzes and evaluates the information that needs to be researched to determine the effects of the proposed project and the health of the population.
- Recommendations to mitigate adverse health effects and promote positive health effects that must be well-described and include justification and purpose. Address all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.
- Conclusion must be comprehensive and clearly articulated. A strong description and justification for the decision makers who would need the information from the HIA is incorporated.