Health Impact Assessment

Why SHIA@Monash?

Internationally, Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a discipline that is rapidly expanding with considerable interest in its development and practical application worldwide. In more recent years, Australian research and development work has focussed on exploring HIA and its application in policy development has occurred. Monash University has embraced this trend.

Monash University’s Department of Health Science is an advocate of HIA and supports its continued development within Victoria and of course more broadly within Australia and Internationally.

The Department of Health Science focuses its work on equity, community engagement and the social determinants of health, these ideologies are consistent with the principles underpinning quality HIA. The Department’s approach Social Health Impact Assessment (SHIA) reflects this and is consistent with effective practice in HIA.

The SHIA@Monash team has particular expertise in practice and capacity building for HIA. The Social Model of Health is embedded within the discipline of HIA and thus provides a framework within which to assess the potential health impact of various proposals on a range of determinants for community and population health.  

The SHIA@Monash team uses HIA methods to assess policy and planning proposals and decision making processes for their potential to impact on community and population health.  The team are part of growing number of professionals across diverse sectors that recognise the value of this approach to policy, planning and development processes.

For more information about SHIA@Monash please contact:
Jessica McCormick
Lecturer, Department of Health Science
School of Primary Health Care
Monash University

Phone: + 61 3 9904 4125
Email: Jessica.McCormick@med.monash.edu.au
or the HIA Helpdesk: hia-helpdesk.hs@med.monash.edu.au