Dear colleagues,

This email includes two requests for information linked to the application of
health impact assessment from the Health Impact Assessment Research Unit based
at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.

Request 1: HIA and Social Exclusion through regeneration programs

I am a PhD student at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia and am
researching the connections between health impact assessment (HIA) and social
exclusion, using neighbourhood renewal and regeneration type schemes as a
foundation for my research. I am aware that HIA has been applied to such
schemes internationally and am writing to ask for support from people with
expertise or for any relevant contacts that the email list members may have.
Within the literature it appears that minimal attention has been given to the
links between HIA and social exclusion. At this point, discussion appears to be
limited to the variables that define the background in which HIA is undertaken
in this context and to any explicit role it may have in reducing the factors
that cause social exclusion. Some key research questions that I am particularly
interested in exploring include:

1. Does HIA have a role to play in reducing social exclusion and if so, what is
the relationship between the two?
2. What are the appropriate components of a framework to facilitate and better
guide the application of HIA to policies that focus on reducing inequalities
and social exclusion, in particular regeneration and neighbourhood renewal
schemes?
3. What are the perceived barriers, which may influence the application of
policy-linked HIA to neighbourhood renewal and regeneration type schemes and
how can they be overcome?
4. To what extent do current HIA methods incorporate a social exclusion 'lens'?
5. Are policy decision makers encouraging or facilitating the use of HIA to
reduce social exclusion?

I would be extremely grateful for any advice, assistance or nudges in the right
direction that members may offer in locating any publications or materials of
relevance or insights they would like to share with me. I may be contacted via
email at [log in to unmask] or alternatively via phone on +61 3
9251 7215.

I thank you in anticipation.

Kind regards,

Jessica McCormick
PhD Candidate

Request 2: HIA at community level

I am currently involved in researching the role of health impact assessment at
the community level as a tool for promoting health and reducing inequalities in
health and am particularly interested to hear from anyone who has undertaken
health impact assessments which have a strong focus on community participation
and/or with an emphasis on the recognition of the health promoting potential of
participation in HIA. A component of the study will be to make recommendations
for suitable applications of HIA at community level in Victoria, Australia,
using policies, strategies or programs at state or local government levels. I
would like to collect information or make contact with members who can assist.
I am particularly interested in hearing about the way HIA is being/has been
used, barriers and enablers and lessons that have been learnt. I would also
welcome any suggestions, ideas or referrals to relevant material or contacts
from within other health fields. I may be contacted via email at
[log in to unmask]

Sincere thanks,

Jenny-Lynn Potter

For more information on the Deakin University Health Impact Assessment Research
Unit please refer to http://www.deakin.edu.au/hia or contact Mary Mahoney via
email at [log in to unmask]

Thank you.

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