Why have most HIAs focused on the built environment?
HIA is an emerging practice in the United States. Only a handful of HIAs have been conducted, and they address only a small fraction of the public policy decisions that are likely to have public health impacts. Thus far, HIAs have mostly been applied to the built environment, as there is abundant evidence that land use, transportation and community design have significant and wide-ranging impacts on the environment and health. Despite similar and complementary objectives, land use planning, environmental protection, and public health agencies typically have little communication on many existing and emerging public and environmental health issues. While it seems commonsense that major decisions regarding the built environment should be judged against their potential health benefits and burdens, mechanisms and mandates for such consideration do not exist, and city and regional planning agencies do not have the resources or expertise to assess the health impacts of planning. As such, publ
