Local developments such as urban planning, transport infrastructure and industrial projects can affect health in different ways across population groups. This JA PreventNCD systematic review examines how Health Impact Assessments can better identify these differences and ensure that inequalities, vulnerabilities and equity are considered when assessing the potential health effects of local interventions.
The review analysed 33 studies and guidance documents covering areas including urban and transport planning and industrial settings. It identified a wide range of approaches for assessing inequalities, from quantitative methods such as exposure-response modelling and geographic mapping to qualitative approaches including interviews, focus groups and participatory methods. The findings show that socioeconomic conditions, environmental exposures and the perspectives of affected communities are all important for understanding how health risks and benefits may be distributed.
The authors find that approaches to incorporating equity into Health Impact Assessment remain diverse and fragmented. They call for more systematic and interdisciplinary methods that combine quantitative evidence with community perspectives and consider equity throughout the assessment process. Based on the findings, the review proposes a practical framework for integrating equity into Health Impact Assessment, helping decision-makers identify differential impacts, develop appropriate recommendations and monitor whether interventions contribute to reducing rather than widening health inequalities.
Read the full paper in Frontiers in Public Health:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546394