Health Impact Assessment as a Student Service Learning Experience

Abstract

Health Impact Assessments (H/As) incorporate a combination of tools, methods, and procedures to evaluate the potential health effects of a proposed program, project, or policy. The university public health department, in collaboration with the county health department and the local planning organization, developed a curriculum for a graduate-level HIA course. Students were instructed in the theoretical framework of HIA and then conducted a rapid assessment focusing on the health impact of expanded bus services.