‘Health in All Policies’—A Key Driver for Health and Well-Being in a Post-COVID-19 Pandemic World

Liz Green, Kathryn Ashton, Mark A. Bellis, Timo Clemens and Margaret Douglas
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Liz Green: Policy and International Health, WHO Collaborating Centre on ‘Investment in Health and Well-Being’, Public Health Wales, Cardiff CF10 45Z, UK
Kathryn Ashton: Policy and International Health, WHO Collaborating Centre on ‘Investment in Health and Well-Being’, Public Health Wales, Cardiff CF10 45Z, UK
Mark A. Bellis: Policy and International Health, WHO Collaborating Centre on ‘Investment in Health and Well-Being’, Public Health Wales, Cardiff CF10 45Z, UK
Timo Clemens: Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute—CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, 6229 GT Maastricht, The Netherlands
Margaret Douglas: Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: Policy in all sectors affects health, through multiple pathways and determinants. Health in all policies (HiAP) is an approach that seeks to identify and influence the health and equity impacts of policy decisions, to enhance health benefits and avoid harm. This usually involves the use of health impact assessment or health lens analysis. There is growing international experience in these approaches, and some countries have cross-sectoral governance structures that prioritize the assessment of the policies that are most likely to affect health. The fundamental elements of HiAP are inter-sectoral collaboration, policy influence, and holistic consideration of the range of health determinants affected by a policy area or proposal. HiAP requires public health professionals to invest time to build partnerships and engage meaningfully with the sectors affecting the social determinants of health and health equity. With commitment, political will and tools such as the health impact assessment, it provides a powerful approach to integrated policymaking that promotes health, well-being, and equity. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the profile of public health and highlighted the links between health and other policy areas. This paper describes the rationale for, and principles underpinning, HiAP mechanisms, including HIA, experiences, challenges and opportunities for the future.

Keywords: health in all policies; health impact assessment; health lens analysis; social determinants of health; policy; advocacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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