Health impact assessment
In New Zealand and overseas, there is growing recognition that some of the most challenging policy issues cross sectoral boundaries and require integrated approaches as well as community engagement.
Such approaches consider the potential effects of policy proposals from a number of perspectives including health, environmental, social and economic impacts.
Impact assessment provides a range of approaches for supporting these processes. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) including Whānau ora HIA is one such discipline; examples of others include social impact assessment, environmental impact assessment and regulatory impact assessment.
Supporters of HIA in New Zealand include the health sector, other sectors, public health academics, HIA practitioners, and the Health Impact Assessment Support Unit, in the Ministry of Health.
This section provides information on what is involved in HIA, the work the Ministry of Health does to support HIA, practical examples of how HIA has been done in New Zealand, and links to resources and websites to assist you if you are considering conducting an HIA.
Latest updates
2 Feb: Evaluation of the Flaxmere Urban Design Framework Health Impact Assessment and Evaluation of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s Oral Health Strategy Health Impact Assessment
1 Feb: Special edition of e-news - exciting training opportunity
In this section
- The New Zealand Health Impact Assessment Support Unit is a New Zealand-wide service responsible to the Office of the Director of Public Health, and part of the Ministry of Health. Read more
- The Health Impact Assessment Support Unit's Reference Group is an expert panel which includes independent technical experts and representatives of central government organisations with an interest in taking forward health impact assessment. Read more
- Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a systematic way of identifying the potential impacts on the wellbeing and health of the population of any proposed policy, strategy, plan or project, prior to implementation. Read more
- The Learning by Doing Fund was established to support the delivery of the Health Impact Assessment Support Unit's priorities for creating capacity and developing the evidence base on HIA. This page provides an overview of the initiative, and a review of the HIAs conducted under the fund. Read more
- The Whānau Ora Health Impact Assessment tool was published in April 2007, and should be considered when the policy under development will affect Māori. This page also lists the Whānau Ora HIAs conducted in New Zealand. Read more
- This section provides information about the types of Health Impact Assessment evaluation, evaluation reports, case studies and a case study guide. Read more
- Publications relating to health impact assessment in New Zealand. Read more
- This section provides tools for undertaking health impact assessment and evaluation, public health HIA service specifications, international manuals and guides, and other resources. Read more
- Literature reviews relating to health impact assessment. Subject areas include the built environment, physical activity and transport. Read more
- Details about Health Impact Assessment training opportunities available in New Zealand. Read more
- The HIA Support Unit runs workshops that help to build and maintain HIA capacity and good practice. They provide a workforce development opportunity for both new and more experienced HIA practitioners within the health and non-health sectors. Read more
- Links to organisations and resources relating to health impact assessment. Read more
- This page provides access to health impact assessments that have been carried out in New Zealand. Read more
- HIA e-News is a quarterly newsletter that provides information on the latest developments in health impact assessment in New Zealand and abroad. Read more
Contact
New Zealand Health Impact Assessment Support
Policy Business Unit
Ministry of Health
PO Box 5013
Wellington
(04) 816 2837
hia@moh.govt.nz
Page last updated: 03 February 2012
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