The Center for Community Health and Evaluation (CCHE), with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has completed a three-year evaluation of health impact assessments (HIAs) in the United States. CCHE conducted an extensive literature review and interviews with practitioners, community stakeholders, and decision-makers to identify factors that make HIAs successful. CCHE’s evaluation represents the first national study that highlights decision-makers and their unique perspectives on how HIAs can inform challenging planning and policy decisions.
CCHE concludes that HIAs can directly influence decisions outside the public health sector in ways that benefit policymakers, constituents, and communities. HIAs not only raise awareness of health issues among decisions-makers but can also amplify the voices of community members about decisions that affect them. CCHE’s study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that HIAs can effectively integrate public health into decisions at all levels of government.
Read the study at cdc.gov.