Global priorities in HIA research: a new agenda for the next decade

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) advances Health in All Policies by identifying impacts of proposed actions on health and equity and recommending changes to address these impacts. Since the Gothenburg Consensus Statement in 1999, HIA has been applied to policies, plans, programmes and projects in multiple sectors and settings across the world. Despite demonstrated effectiveness, its use across the world is inconsistent with few nations systematically using HIA. In a global context of increasing health inequities, pandemics, climate change, and economic crises, HIA can help integrate health and equity into decision making. There is a need for research to support the ongoing evolution and development of HIA. This paper presents a research agenda for the field of HIA.

We used a mixed method approach utilising insights of approximately 280 participants through an international online survey and participatory workshops. We compared priority areas of research identified through the survey, workshops, and literature review to inform the development of a research agenda. The team drew on their own positioning and experience as HIA practitioners and researchers to shape this agenda.

We identified four research priorities: (1) Institutionalisation - Sustaining and institutionalising HIA in varying contexts and levels. (2) Influence - Identifying mechanisms and strategies that can be employed to effectively influence stakeholders and decision making. (3) Equity and Participation - Analysing the role of equity, justice, power and participation in HIA, and (4) Methodology - Improving HIA Methods to understand the complex relationships between proposed actions, health and health equity outcomes and identifying what to do. We developed research questions for each theme.

The research agenda advocates for sustained research and practice to strengthen impact and address knowledge gaps in the field. Functioning as a roadmap for both researchers and funders, it aims to contribute to a healthier and more equitable world. Recognising the valuable role of HIA in addressing global health challenges, the agenda encourages researchers to investigate, develop, and advance the field of HIA.