Selecting the Type of HIA to Conduct

HIAs vary based on duration, effort, and complexity. Whether it is appropriate to carry out a desktop, rapid,
intermediate, or comprehensive HIA is determined by the time and resources available to complete the HIA,
likelihood and magnitude of expected health impacts, the expected footprint of the project (e.g., area/people
affected, complexity, timescale, etc.), and the social sensitivity of the project.
DESK BASED RAPID INTERMEDIATE COMPREHENSIVE
2-6 weeks for one person 6 to 12 weeks for one 12 weeks to 6 months for 6 to 12 months for one
full time1. person full time. one person full time. person full time.
Provides a broad overview Provides a more detailed Provides a more thorough Provides a comprehensive
of potential health impacts. overview of potential health assessment of potential assessment of potential
impacts. health impacts, and more health impacts.
detail on specific predicted
impacts.
Could be used where time Could be used where time Requires significant time and Requires significant time and
and resources are limited. and resources are limited. resources. resources.
Is an ‘off the shelf’ exercise Involves collecting and Involves collecting and Involves collecting and
based on collecting and analyzing existing data with analyzing existing data as analyzing data from multiple
analyzing existing accessible limited input from experts well as gathering new sources (qualitative and
data. and key stakeholders. qualitative data from quantitative).
stakeholders and key
informants.
Activities include accessing Activities include accessing Activities include accessing Activities include accessing
off the shelf resources and resources, hosting and resources, hosting and resources, hosting and
synthesizing and appraising supporting meetings, and supporting meetings, supporting meetings,
information. synthesizing and appraising identifying stakeholders and identifying stakeholders and
information. key informants, gathering key informants, gathering
and analyzing qualitative and analyzing qualitative
If the capacity does not exist
and quantitative data, and and quantitative data, and
in-house, consideration
synthesizing and appraising synthesizing and appraising
should be given to
information. information.
commissioning external
assessors. If the capacity does not exist If the capacity does not exist
in-house, consideration in-house, consideration
should be given to should be given to
commissioning external commissioning external
assessors. assessors.
LESS IMPACTS MORE IMPACTS
* The time involved will vary depending on the number of people actively involved in undertaking HIA tasks. For example, a comprehensive assessment may
take a team of four people three months to complete.
Source Credit: Harris, Harris-Roxas, Harris, and Kemp. 2007. Health Impact Assessment: A Practical Guide. Sydney: Centre for
Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE).
rights, political factors)
minorities, conflict, stakeholder concerns, human
(socioeconomic status, vulnerable groups,

Comprehensive
High
Potential Health Impacts

Social Sensitivity

Intermediate

Rapid
Low

Desktop
Source Credit: Adapted from IFC.
2008. Introduction to Health Impact
Assessment. International Finance
Low High
Project Footprint Corporation, Washington D.C.
(complexity, area/people affected, timescale, precedence, knowledge)