Incorporating community perspectives in health impact assessment: A toolbox

• DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2022.106788
• Publication Date: 2022-04-21T17:23:54Z
• Authors: Andrea Leuenberger; Mirko S. Winkler; Isaac Lyatuu; Herminio Cossa; Hyacinthe R. Zabré; Dominik Dietler; Andrea Farnham
• Keywords: Toolbox; Health Impact Assessment; Qualitative property; Equity

Large infrastructure projects, such as mining and renewable energy can affect the health of surrounding communities by changing natural, physical social environment. While there is limited understanding potential impacts projects on local populations in general, a particular need for community-driven equity-oriented approaches to predict manage impacts. To assess perceived vulnerable affected large sub-Saharan Africa, we present here suite qualitative data collection tools, which are complementary existing impact assessment (HIA) tools. At core toolbox guides conduct (i) transect walks qualitatively map systematically select study (ii) participatory focus group discussions explore wider determinant related implications from perspective communities. This methodology was developed part evaluating industrial settings East West Africa. These flexible intuitive tools produced reliable comparable findings across different countries contexts, suggesting that be applied broad range project settings. The methodology, with its translating research rapidly into visual outputs, promising addition existing, mainly quantitative HIA toolbox. Strengthening driven ultimately contribute achieving health-related targets Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).