Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a process that attempts to 
understand and make recommendations about the possible health 
impacts of local, regional, national, and international 
projects, plans, and policies. It involves all the players 
– government agencies in several sectors, contractors and 
developers, local officials, civic institutions, people 
affected by the proposed action or policy, etc. – to at 
least some extent in the planning and carrying out of the 
HIA, and is meant to inform them of its results as well.
An HIA is not meant as a directive for what decision-makers
 should do, but rather as a tool to give them the best and 
most accurate information possible to work with. They aren’t
bound to its recommendations but can use them to weigh 
competing interests and goals and to make decisions that 
seem to carry the most overall public benefit and the least
potential for conflict.
HIAs are guided by the values of democracy, equity, 
sustainability, and the ethical use of evidence. If these 
values are practiced, a well-conducted HIA that is 
carefully considered by decision-makers can result in not 
only a well-planned and well-executed project or effective
and equitable policy, but in community buy-in and support,
and in a project or policy that truly protects and enhances
public health and contributes to the creation of a healthy
society.