New HIA reports from the National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (NCCHPP). These documents are available in both English and in French on the NCCHPP's website:

Planning Knowledge Sharing in the Context of a Health Impact Assessment

http://www.ncchpp.ca/67/new-publications.ccnpps?id_article=950 (en)
http://www.ccnpps.ca/88/Nouvelles_publications.ccnpps?id_article=949 (fr)

Developing a Citizen-Participation Strategy for Health Impact Assessment: Practical Guide

http://www.ncchpp.ca/67/new-publications.ccnpps?id_article=944 (en)
http://www.ccnpps.ca/88/nouvelles-publications.ccnpps?id_article=943 (fr)

The 12th International Conference on Health Impact Assessment (HIA): New issues arising from the evolution of the practice - Summary of Discussions

http://www.ncchpp.ca/67/new-publications.ccnpps?id_article=968 (en)
http://www.ccnpps.ca/88/nouvelles-publications.ccnpps?id_article=967 (fr)

New Post on Eat Move Sleep Blog

Yesterday, the Dan's Plan blog Eat Move Sleep published a blog post I wrote about sleep, artificial light, your brain, and a free computer program called f.lux that can help us live healthier lives.  Head over to Eat Move Sleep to read it.

Finishing the Year Healthy & Strong

*First let me apologize for having to truncate my posts (causing readers to have to click "read more" to read the post in its entirety) because my blog content has been stolen by some thief with a domain registered in India.  Thank you Leanne for letting me know- I had no idea.  Back in August 2012, several well-known bloggers started truncating their posts because "scraper sites" had been stealing their blog content.  I never worried about it and, as a reader, I find truncated posts kinda annoying, so I never did that.  But I have to now.  My entire blog- every word and photo has been scraped and is now appearing as original content on another blog.  So annoying! And the worst part is, I haven't yet figured out what I can do about it.  So, I just wanted to explain why I'm now truncating my posts- apparently this makes it much harder for the thieves.  I hope you'll keep reading!

* * * * * 

I think I need to get your attention and my own regarding the reality that the holidays are just around the corner!  I get giddy with excitement this time of year.  Halloween is in a couple days, which really just marks the beginning of the real holiday season for me.  I love everything that is related to this time of year, including the coziness of colder weather, wearing red and feeling festive, getting together more with family for longer, relaxed gatherings, celebrating family traditions, shopping for gifts for family and friends, decorating the house, and yes, of course, all the yummy FOOD and DRINKS!

But seriously, do we have to just check out in the health department this time of year?  I've already gained a few pounds in last couple of months as I've slacked off my workouts and discovered this ridculously delicious gelato that I've been induldging in too often.  It happens.  But, we need to be reasonalbe and balanced.  I know I'm less happy and more uncomfortable when I'm heavier.  Just a few extra pounds on my very short frame (5'1) makes my jeans too tight.  And even a couple extra pounds are hard to lose.

I want to look and feel GREAT this holiday season!  

via Nike

Read more »

IAIA14 Impact Assessment for Social and Economic Development

34th Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment
8-11 April 2014 | Enjoy, Casino & Resort, Hotel del Mar | Viña del Mar, Chile
Opportunities for students described in the attached flyer

Abstracts for both paper and poster submissions are invited through 6 December 2013.  For more information and to sign up to receive updates about this conference please visit www.iaia.org/iaia14.  IAIA conferences are interdisciplinary, and more than 800 delegates from over 80 nations are expected to attend.

During IAIA14, participants will be encouraged to discuss how the various instruments of impact assessment can assist developers, industry, decision-makers, financial institutions, development cooperation providers, and the public to integrate environmental, social, and other concerns in the following areas of interest:

• Cultural heritage
• Public participation
• Social conflict
• Sustainable development
• SEA/EIA in Latin America
• Indigenous peoples
• Governance
• Biodiversity
• Climate change
• Land use planning and management
• Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• Natural disasters
• Environmental management systems
• Health impact assessment
• Social impact assessment
• Strategic environmental assessment
• Environmental IA law, policies and practice
• Capacity building for better IA systems
• EIA methodology and practice
• Monitoring and follow-up
• Environmental compliance and enforcement
• Communication in impact assessment
• Evaluation and evolution of national EIA systems

Many more topics are proposed,  along with training courses, technical visits, and networking opportunities.

For more information, abstracts submission, updates and registration, go to www.iaia.org/iaia14.   We hope to see you in Chile!

Faith

just fyi . . . 

via Candy to My Soul

Healthy Yogurt Station

After seeing the breakfast bar in my kitchen (which now includes a quick morning oatmeal), Leanne (Away We Go) emailed me to share something similar she does in her home with yogurt.  She created an adorable, functional way to have a healthy yogurt snack with a variety of toppings.  It's great to have all these yummy ingredients on hand and easily accessible.  Here's Leanne to tell you how she did it.

* * * * * 

Yogurt cups have always been a popular snack in our house and over the past few months we have pretty much made the switch to Greek. The health benefits are plentiful and these days the options for flavours are endless! I absolutely love the individual containers that include a portion of toppings to add in.  I find the combination of nuts, granola or even dark chocolate to be a very satisfying late afternoon snack!  However, as much as I love these little treats, I do find their cost adds up. In order to save a bit of money, but keep this healthy option in our kitchen I decided to put together a little Yogurt Station. 

To get started, I gathered a variety of nuts, seeds and dried fruit from the bulk section of our grocery store and placed them in some glass jars that I already had on hand. 

I placed a washi tape label on each jar to identify it's contents. I think that washi tape is great for this job because it can easily be switched out as the contents of the jar change.  

The jars fit nicely in this small basket, which is a perfect fit for our pantry shelf.  

Here is a list of what I currently have in our "Yogurt Station"

~

roasted almonds

 candied pecans

homemade granola

dried cranberries

shaved dark chocolate

 pumpkin seeds

honey

cinnamon

Now I am able to buy large tubs of Greek yogurt, which saves money and waste (the individual servings are often too large for my kids). When we need a little snack we grab the basket from the pantry and top our yogurt to fit our mood! I love granola and honey in the morning, and pecans with dark chocolate before bed!

Thanks so much for sharing Leanne!  I adore the jars and washi tape labels too! - Megan

* * * * * 

If you have a healthy food recipe with bright, gorgeous photos and would like to be featured on Honey We're Healthy, email me at: honeywerehealthyblog@gmail.com

Janette Sadik-Khan: To revitalise planning try new things that are cheap

New York's Transportation Commissioner on what NYC has done to try to change street life, via Francesca in the LinkedIn group.

Vitamix Blender- Worth It?

Last year I was considering purchasing a Vitamix blender and then was shocked to see how expensive they were when I visited the website.  I was so naive about the price!  I wrote about it on Honey We're Home, asking people if they thought the Vitamix was worth it and got a lot of responses, mostly people encouraging me to make the splurge and others saying blenders that sell for much less will do the job fine.  I was still on the fence when I was at Costco one day and they had a Vitamix 5200s on sale (but now I can't recall the exact price) so I went ahead and bought it.  Amazon sells a Vitamix5200s for $449.99 ($100 less than the Vitamix website).

I have to say I love it!  I mix protein smoothies in it almost daily and they contain ice and frozen fruit, which blend up perfectly.  Perhaps a less expensive blender would also work, but I'm confident this one will last a very long time- it comes with a 7-year warranty.  

I will say, the downside of my Vitamix blender is it's height- it won't fit on the counters under our cabinets because it's too tall.  We tend to keep ours out near the kitchen sink because we use it so often, and store it in a lower cabinet where it fits fine.  I just rinse it with hot soap and water right after each use, and lay it upside down to dry.  

One feature I really like is that it's not that loud compared to other blenders I've heard.  Now, I want to venture outside of just making smoothies.  I know you can make soups, dips, salsa, and have even heard of chicken salad and dough.  

Do you have a Vitamix?  I'd love to hear what you are making in your blender besides smoothies.  

I'm considering pureeing up some veggies to sneak into my son's food (maybe into his blueberry muffins or something like that).  Any recommendations? He's the pickiest eater I've seen!

* * * * * 

On Honey We're Home: Easy Homemade Kids Halloween Treats

Faith

Worship and worship music is a huge part of my expression of joy, thankfulness, faith, and love of God.  I enjoy different kinds of worship music, listen almost exclusively to contemporary Christian radio in my car (89.3 KSBJ), and sing in the choir at my church.  I often feel the closest connection to God and His peace and love in my times of worship.  Many tears of both joy and heartbreak have fallen during my worship time.  Only He really knows everything we've been through.  But, I almost always feel a deep sense of peace after a pure time of worship when I didn't hold anything back.  To me, worshipping through music is pouring out your heart to God through the songs and acknowledging Him as Lord.  Then, feeling His responsiveness and connecting to it.  It blesses my soul. 

When I first joined my church in 2001, the song I recall getting me "hooked" on contemporary worship music was "You Are Good" by Isreal Houghton.  Do you know it?  We actually just sang it again two weeks ago and it's as good as I remember.  It's really upbeat and FUN!  Gets you moving and dancing and just celebrating the genuine goodness of God.  Did you know that worship music could sound like that and that some people dance and jump at church?  I didn't.  

Here's a video of Isreal and his band New Breed signing You Are Good and Rejoice in South Africa.

Certain songs in life just take you back- they don't even have to be Christian songs- to a certain time in life and you can almost taste the experience.  I vividly remember how I felt as a "baby Christian" going to church regularly for the first time as an adult, completely ignorant of Christian music and definitely feeling a little . . . weird about even hearing lyrics like, "I worship you Almighty God, there is none like you." And I felt really out of place because I didn't know any of those songs.  I was more familiar with My Love Don't Cost a Thing (it was 2001 after all).  At church, I was self conscious and awkwardly clapped my hands to the beat of the music, but my mouth was shut tight.  

Slowly over time, as I continued to show up on Sunday mornings, the songs became familiar.  I bought our church worship CD (or maybe it was given to me?)  and started listening to it in the car.  At church, I looked forward to my "favorite" songs being played.  It wasn't long before I knew ALL the words and was sining in my car.  Then, the girl who used to keep her mouth shut, auditioned for the choir. When I look back now, I realize I didn't need to feel self-conscious about not knowing the songs (I doubt anyone even cared or noticed).  We all start somewhere in our walk with God.  What matters is just starting and knowing that HE IS GOOD!

Do you have a favorite worship song?  

* * * * * 

Kitchen Must Haves

Over the years, I have definitely found my "must have" kitchen items that I use over and over and that are essential to preparing healthy meals.  If you're going to go to the effort to cook meals at home, having these tools on hand will get you through most recipes.  And, you don't have to spend a fortune on these things.  I sourced all of these products through Amazon (which has great prices on quality products), and I know that many people use the site because it's such a big time-saver and the convenience of having things delivered right to your door is hard to beat!  

These items may not be as inexpensive as you would find at Wal-Mart, but the prices are great for the quality at Amazon.  Since cooking and preparing meals is a daily chore, you want your tools to last and be easy to use.  I have all of these items in my kitchen and can attest to their quality and usefulness. Because I'm simply a home cook who still has a lot to learn, I do not have the "best of the best" chef's cookware, but I consider these items very high quality for a good value. 

8-inch knife //  This one knife, if you keep it sharp, will make preparing meals so much more enjoyable.  So many of my meals start with dicing up an onion and then chopping up fresh herbs.  

Serrated knife // Essential for tomatoes, which we eat often, and also for bread. 

Cutting board //  One really nice cutting board, like the Boos brand, will last forever if you care for it by handwashing and oiling it regularly.  I like a cutting board with a very large surface area so I can chop different foods and keep them on one board.  The one pictured is 24x18, but smaller ones will be less expensive.  

Peeler // I'm forever peeling carrots and cucumbers.  I hate peeling potatoes, but if I have to, this is the peeler I like to use.  I've had mine at least 5 years and it's still going strong.  It's dishwasher safe too.

Can opener // I use a manual can opener to save counter space and keep it in a drawer (as opposed to an electric opener).  This one works really well and you don't have to be superwoman to use it.  Just be sure to clean it after using so the blade doesn't get stuck. 

Mixing bowls // One set with a few sizes is all you really need for both meal prep and baking.  I keep one handy as a garbage bowl for all the garbage/recycling as I'm preparing my meals.  

Spatula // A four-inch stainless steel spatula is good for turning almost anything and I feel it is sturdier than its rubber counterparts.  I also use it for separating meat while cooking like ground turkey for chili or my Tex Mex dish.

Grater // Again, I opt for a one sided microplane grater (as opposed to a box grater) to save space. I mostly use mine for cheese. 

Wooden spoons // There's always something to stir or mix.  

Rubber spatulas // I call them rubber spatulas, but they are really made with silicon.  They are great for helping empty the contents of a jar or bowl and are heat resistant so you can use them when stirring hot things on the stove. 

3-quart pot // The smaller, nonstick pot is good for steaming veggies and boiling smaller amounts of pasta. It's dishwasher safe, but I always hand wash mine for extra precaution.

10-inch pan  //  I use this for cooking everything from meat to pancakes and omelets, and for sauteeing veggies.  I've made a million grilled cheeses in this pan.

5-quart pot // Perfect for chili, stews, and soups.

A few more things not pictured that I also use all the time and have in my kitchen:

grill pan 

potholder and oven mitt

colander

mesh strainer

cotton dish towel

 plastic measuring cups

stainless steel measuring cups and spoons (These are a splurge.  They were a Christmas gift from my girlfriend Karen a few years ago and I love how they feel in my hand.  Such a crazy good gift!)

What's YOUR must-have kitchen item? 

* * * * * 

Bulletin politiques publiques et santé, le 7 octobre 2013

de l'Institut national de santé publique du Québec:

Événements

CAN - Health in All Policies. Taking Intersectoral Action for Equitable & Sustainable Health

L'Association de santé publique de la Colombie-Britannique tiendra cette conférence régionale, ainsi qu’une séance avec le Ministère de la Santé sur les priorités émergentes en santé, les 4 et 5 novembre 2013, à Victoria.

US - 141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Le programme de la réunion de l'American Public Health Association aborde les questions actuelles et émergentes en science, politique etpratique de la santé dans le but de prévenir les maladies et promouvoir la santé. L’événement aura lieu du 2 au 6 novembre 2013, à Boston.

Actualités

QC - Investir pour l'avenir : politiques publiques

Ce numéro d’octobre 2013 du bulletin « Investir pour l’avenir » porte sur les politiques publiques. On y présente notamment des outils pour promouvoir les saines habitudes de vie, des évaluations d’impact sur la santé pour soutenir les municipalités en Montérégie, des outils pratiques pour améliorer l’offre alimentaire dans les écoles dans le Centre-du-Québec, etc.

US - Climate Ready States and Cities

Développé par les Centers for Disease Control (CDC) américain, la Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI) anticipe les changements climatiques en appliquant la science du climat pour prévoir les répercussions du phénomène sur la santé. Le CRSCI a produit un cadre appelé Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) pour offrir un processus en cinq étapes aux ministères de la santéafin de leur permettre d'intégrer la science atmosphérique dans la planification.

US - Public health groups back Obama’s 94-cent cigarette tax hike

Un rapport publié par des groupes de santé publique indique que le plan du gouvernement américain d'augmenter les taxes sur les cigarettes produira suffisamment de nouveaux revenus pour permettre à deux millions d'enfants de plus aux États-Unis d'accéder au préscolaire. La proposition verrait la taxe augmenter de 94 cents le paquet, et les profits iront à l'éducation de la petite enfance. La taxe rapporterait 78 milliards de dollars sur 10 ans.

Publications

QC - Autorités de santé et environnement bâti : actions pour influencer les politiques

Le Centre de collaboration nationale sur les politiques publiques et la santé (CCNPPS) travaille avec la coalition Bâtir un Canada en santéà la promotion de certaines politiques publiques, comme celles de transport ou d'aménagement urbain, qui pourraient créer des environnements bâtis plus favorables à la santé. Ce document résume une série d'entrevues avec des professionnels dans chacune des autorités de santé impliquées dans le projet pour explorer les cadres pragmatique et programmatique dans lequel elles agissent sur lespolitiques publiques informant l'environnement bâti.

CAN - Submission to the British Columbia Liquor Policy Review By The Health Officers Council of British Columbia

Dans ce document, le Health Officers Council de la Colombie-Britannique propose un cadre pour la règlementation de l'alcool fondé sur les meilleures preuves scientifiques. Ce cadre comprend des principes directeurs, des objectifs globaux et des objectifs spécifiques. Il fournit des recommandations pour parvenir à une approche équilibrée de règlementation de l'alcool en Colombie-Britannique.

EUR - Judging whether public health interventions offer value for money

Les interventions de santé publique ne peuvent être évaluées uniquement en fonction de la rentabilité puisqu'elles ont un impact durable sur le bien-être. Cette note d'information de la National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) britannique résume les avantages des interventions de santé publique et les gains produits en mettant l'accent sur la prévention plutôt que le traitement.

US - Health in All Policies: A Guide for State and Local Governments

Ce guide a été développé par trois organismes américains (Public Health Institute, California Department of Public Health, American Public Health Association) en réponse à l’intérêt grandissant dans l’utilisation d’approches intersectorielles pour intégrer la santé dans les processus de décision de plusieurs secteurs d’activité. Le guide repose sur les initiatives mises en œuvre en Californie et inclus aussi des informations provenant de la littérature grise et d’entrevues avec des experts aux États-Unis.

US - Modeling the impact of prevention policies on future diabetes prevalence in the United States: 2010-2030

En utilisant un modèle qui intègre des données sur la prévalence, l'incidence, la mortalité et l'efficacité des interventions liées au diabète, cette étude projette l'effet des politiques de prévention sur les taux du diabète aux États-Unis jusqu'en 2030. Même si une stratégie efficace est mise en œuvre (qui combine des mesures visant les gens à risque modéré et des stratégies visant l'ensemble de la population), les projections indiquent une augmentation de 65 % des taux de diabète d'ici 2030.

INT - WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2013: Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

Le quatrième d'une série, ce rapport 2013 de l'OMS sur la lutte antitabac dans le monde fournit des données à jour et agrégées par pays. Il met un accent particulier sur la législation visant à interdire la publicité, la promotion et les commandites sur le tabac dans les États membres de l'OMS.

Évaluation d'impact sur la santé et autres ressources

CAN - Planifier le partage de connaissances lors d'une évaluation d'impact sur la santé

Les personnes responsables des évaluations d'impact sur la santé (ÉIS) doivent être capables d’organiser des activités adéquates de partage des connaissances en tenant compte du profil de leurs interlocuteurs, du contexte de décision et des ressources disponibles. Ce document publié par le Centre de collaboration nationale sur les politiques publiques et la santé et l'Institut national de santé publique, détaille un cadre afin de guider l’élaboration d’un plan de partage de connaissances.

EUR - The potential impact on obesity of a 10% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Ireland, an effect assessment modelling study

En 2011, l'Irlande a proposé une taxe de 10 % sur les boissons sucrées comme un moyen de lutter contre l'obésité infantile. Cette étude modélise l'impact potentiel de cette taxe sur l'obésité et montre qu‘elle aurait un effet modeste, mais significatif. La taxe affecterait surtout les jeunes adultes qui sont les principaux consommateurs de boissons sucrées.

EUR - Leeds New Generation Transport - HIA

Cette évaluation d'impact sur la santé (EIS) a été commandée par la ville de Leeds au Royaume-Uni pour étudier les effets d'une proposition de réseau urbain de trolleybus appelé New Generation Transport. L'EIS offre 11 recommandations pour compenser les effets négatifs potentiels liés au bruit et à la qualité de l'air.

Écho des membres

CAN - Développer une stratégie de participation citoyenne en évaluation d'impact sur la santé : guide pratique ERRATUM

Ce guide pratique a été produit par le Centre de collaboration nationale sur les politiques publiques et la santé et non par le Centre de collaboration nationale des déterminants de la santé, tel qu’annoncé dans le dernier bulletin. Nous nous excusons pour cette erreur.

Healthy Coleslaw

Cole slaw is a great side side dish that's a wonderful additional to so many meals.  I particularly love it with barbecue and made it as an addition to slow cooked pork shoulder last week.  To make a healthy cole slaw, I used the America's Test Kitchen  Healthy Family Cookbook recipe, which uses buttermilk, light mayo, and lowfat sour cream.  The result is less calories and less fat- a 1-cup servings has 70 calories and 2 fat grams.  Note that this recipe takes about two hours (non-work time) before it's ready, so plan accordingly.  You can also make the coleslaw ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container up to one day.  Just taste before serving- you may need additional cider vinegar, salt, and or pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

1 head cabbage (cored and sliced thin)- I used a bag of prepared cabbage and carrot mix

2 carrots, peeled and shredded 

1 teaspoons salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup light mayo

1/4 cup lowfat sour cream

3 scallions, sliced thin

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

1.  Toss the cabbage with the salt in a colander and let it sit for an hour until wilted.  Rinse and drain the cabbage in cold water and dry thoroughly.  Then add in the carrots.  (Cabbage is naturally full of water which will end up watering down your cole slaw thus dulling its flavor unless you draw out some of the water first.  Salting and draining the cabbage releases most of its liquid resulting in crisp crunch and better flavor.

2.  Whisk all of the other ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  

3.  Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat.

4.  Cover and refrigerate until the flavors have blended (about an hour). 

* * * * * 

Faith

I have quiet confidence that God knows what is best for my life and that He has a plan and purpose for me.  I'm earnestly seeking to know, "What would YOU have me do?" There have been many times in my life when I had dreams and hopes that did not come to fruition and, at the time, was utterly and painfully depressed that God wasn't giving me what I wanted- what I pleaded and prayed for with all my heart.  But HE knows better.  No, HE knows best.  He sees what we cannot see.  It doesn't always numb the pain, but I also believe in feeling your feelings and allowing them.  Then, we can deal with it and heal it.  I'm taking comfort in Proverbs 19:21 today.  The NIV translation says, "Many are the plans in a person's heart; but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Just like I believe there is a certain peace and comfort in having a man be the head of the household (a somewhat controversial topic I know), there is a big sense of relief knowing that I don't have to figure everything out on my own.  I can give situations to God and seek HIS will and then patiently (oh, that one is so hard) wait to hear from Him. Sometimes we "hear" by doors opening or closing or by certain people coming or leaving our paths.  But, I TRUST in Him and his purpose.  Thank God for that peace.  

* * * * * 

Homemade Pesto Pizza

Had I known sooner how easy it is to make tasty pizza at home, I would have started making it so much sooner.  My best friend Karen and her husband are wonderful cooks.  Many years ago, we used to do a rotating Thursday night dinner club where we'd take turns eating at each other's houses.  I always looked forward to the Thursdays when it was their turn to cook! Karen often shares her recipes with me and this homemade pizza is one of her latest.  She texted me the pics of her pizza with directions and I knew immediately I wanted to try it. 

She said she was still experimenting with cooking temps and times, but I read that the trick to cooking pizza at home is to get the oven very hot (500 degrees) and heat the pizza stone (I used a baking sheet) to very hot as well by preheating it in the oven for at least 30 minutes.  I did that with this thin-crust pizza and baked it for about 12 minutes.  It turned out so good!  

I think the thing that intimidated me before about making pizza at home is the crust.  But Karen recommending buying frozen premade crust and just rolling it out.  

I bought my dough at Whole Foods, but I know they sell it elsewhere.  My package comes with two frozen dough balls that you thaw in the fridge for a day or on the counter for about an hour or so.  I rolled the dough with olive oil so it wouldn't stick. 

This is a pesto pizza with spinach, mushrooms, red pepper, mozzarella, a little feta and a couple cloves of garlic.  I steamed the spinach on the stove, then made sure to squeeze any excess water out.

Mix the prepared pesto with a couple drops of olive oil so it spreads easily onto the rolled dough. 

Then top with all the ingredients.  

Like I mentioned above, I preheated the oven and cookie sheet for about 30 minutes at 500 degrees.  The pizza baked for about12 minutes. 

I will definitely be making this again.  It will be fun to experiment with different variations of ingredients too. 

Do you make pizza at home?  What are your favorite toppings?

* * * * *

How does HIA bring change?

A guest post from Jonathan Heller from the Human Impact Partners From the HIP blog:

There is a dirty little secret among HIA practitioners: We don’t all agree about what makes the work we are doing effective and about how doing HIA will lead to change. This became clear to me during conversations that started during the “Advocacy and Objectivity in HIA” panel at HIA of the Americas earlier this year. But these differences crystalized for me flying home last week from the National HIA Meeting. 

The terms advocacy, bias and subjective have been thrown around a lot lately in the HIA field – terms that reveal deep differences among practitioners. I think there are at least three distinct theories of change held among our community. 

1. Data alone.  Subscribers to this theory of change believe all HIA practitioners need to do is to provide decision makers with data about health and health disparities. Armed with that data, decision makers will make better decisions.

2. Data and consensus. Subscribers to this theory believe that the best way to make change is to reach out to stakeholders with diverse views, which usually include community members and, depending on the HIA, could include people from different agencies, project proponents, and decision makers from across the political spectrum. With data and good facilitation, consensus can be reached regarding the impacts, recommendations, and report. That process and the findings will lead to decision makers making better decisions.

3. Data and Power. Subscribers to this theory believe that change is most likely to come from strong data combined with an HIA process that is used to build power in disenfranchised communities that face inequities. With this increased power and strong data, the voices of those most impacted will be heard and decision makers will make better decisions. 

Each of these theories has its merit and each may have its time and place. Each has examples it can hold up that show that it leads to decisions that improve health.

But, in our experience, if HIA is really a tool to achieve health and reduce inequities, combining data and power is the most effective way of getting there. History shows that the other two are challenging ways to truly change policies, plans, and projects that create inequities, especially if those in power don’t have the will to do so or if there is ideological tension around the proposal my ding. Those in power, in favor of a status quo that benefits them and is harming the disenfranchised, are simply not willing to yield power in the face of mere data.  And the compromises that result from consensus building between those who have power and those who do not usually support at best a middle ground that does not significantly benefit those most harmfully effected by decisions.

This is why at Human Impact Partners we do our HIAs in partnership with community organizing groups whose focus is building leadership in low-income communities and communities of color, lifting the voices of populations left out of decision-making discourse, and building the power of those communities.  

We know the data and power theory works. With our partners, we’ve used it over the last couple of years to win over $40 million in affordable housing in South Los Angeles (our USC and Farmers FieldHIAs), substantial increases in funds for alternatives to incarceration in Republican-controlled Wisconsin, and better policies for racial integration of schools in Minnesota. We’ve used it to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of detentions and deportations on immigrant children and families. And, through those processes, we’ve left behind not just awareness and better policies, but more importantly, a community that is more engaged in our democracy and more empowered to fight on their own behalf in the future.

In Closing the Gap in a Generation, the World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health declared: “Any serious effort to reduce health inequities will involve changing the distribution of power within society and global regions, empowering individuals and groups to represent strongly and effectively their needs and interests and, in so doing, to challenge and change the unfair and steeply graded distribution of social resources (the conditions for health) to which all, as citizens, have claims and rights.” The great Brazilian philosopher and educator Paulo Freire said it more simply: “Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral."

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