Derby district redevelopment in Colorado: case study on the health impact assessment process

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a tool that is increasingly utilized in the U.S. to shape policies that may impact the public's health. Domestic examples of HIAs and the process by which they were conducted, however, are rarely documented in the peer-reviewed literature. Through an existing relationship with the planning department in Commerce City, Colorado, Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) was able to identify a proposed redevelopment plan as a candidate for an HIA. The HIA focused on potential effects of the proposed redevelopment of Commerce City's historic Derby District on residents' physical activity and nutrition-related behaviors. This article describes the HIA process used by TCHD. Several sources of data were used, including participatory community input on walkability and safety, local health behavior data, and maps of health-influencing environmental characteristics. Using a variety of information sources including community input and local health behavior data can be useful in conducting HIAs and impacting policies. Local health departments should consider cultivating ongoing collaborative partnerships with municipal planning departments and community groups to conduct HIAs and to implement recommendations.