The course focuses on conducting a health impact assessment (HIA) as an example of a tool for evidence-informed health policymaking. Students will gain an understanding of relevant health status measures and health determinants, sources of health data, types of evidence and their appraisal, the process of evidence-informed policymaking, and the principles and practice of Health in All Policies. 

By the end of the course, the students will be able to:

·        Describe the process of conducting a health impact assessment 

·        Identify potentially affected populations and health determinants

·        Effectively involve relevant stakeholders in health impact assessment

·        Gather and appraise evidence to highlight the scale, scope, and duration of both positive and negative impacts of a proposed policy or project 

·        Communicate and discuss HIA findings with a view to influencing decision-making

ILO1. Knows how to retrieve, analyse and appraise different types of evidence (including vital statistics, health indicators, qualitative research, scientific and grey literature) relevant to public health decision-making

ILO2. Analyses the level (including burden of disease, indicators, characterisation of risks and demand for and access to health care) and factors contributing to population health (including biological, social, economic, cultural, political, and physical determinants of health and wider determinants of health) based on different types of evidence

ILO10. Engages relevant stakeholders from different disciplines and sectors to co-create policies for public health

ILO11. Discusses evidence with various actors in the health system and populations of concern

ILO13. Understands and applies cultural awareness and sensitivity as well as demonstrating an open mind in working with diverse populations 

1.    Chang, M. C.-J., Green, L., & Petrokofsky, C. (2022). Public Health Spatial Planning in Practice: Improving Health and Wellbeing (1st ed.). Bristol University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2x00vs4

2.    Birley, M. (2011). Health Impact Assessment: Principles and Practice (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781849777070

3.    Chadderton, C., Elliott, E., Green, L., Lester, J., & Williams, G. (2021). Health Impact Assessment: A practical guide. https://phwwhocc.co.uk/whiasu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/HIA_Tool_Kit_V2_WEB-1.pdf

4.    Chadderton, C., Elliott, E., & Williams, G. (2021). Involving the Public in HIA: An evaluation of current practice in Wales. https://phwwhocc.co.uk/whiasu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Involving_the_Public_in_HIA_Final_Report-2.pdf

5.    World Health Organization. (2025). Health Impact Assessment. https://www.who.int/tools/health-impact-assessments

6.    World Health Organization. (2023). Integrating the social determinants of health into health workforce education and training. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/373710/9789240064256-eng.pdf?sequence=5 (Chapters 3 & 4, Annex 1)

7.    World Health Organization. (2023). Working together for equity and healthier populations: sustainable multisectoral collaboration based on health in all policies approaches. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/372714/9789240067530-eng.pdf?sequence=1

8.    WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, & World Health Organization. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health: Commission on Social Determinants of Health final report. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/69832/WHO_IER_CSDH_08.1_eng.pdf?sequence=1   (The original report, to be updated)