Health impact assessment: some theoretical and methodological aspects

Abstract

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a methodology that is still in a development phase in different countries of Europe and North America. HIA seeks to integrate already existing procedures, methods and tools that can help to analyze a social policy, program or projects not directly related with the health sphere, and assess the impacts that these interventions could have on the population’s health. The aim of this article is to review the main conceptual, theoretical and practical implications of Health Impact Assessment, looking forward to connect the results of good quality research with the technical and political requirements of decision makers.