The Role of Conceptual Learning in Health Impact Assessment

B Harris-RoxasCentre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE)

Part of the UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and EquitySydney, Australia

All HIAs are done to learn something

But do we agree on what we’re supposed to learn?

Glasbergen puts forward a model of learning for impact assessment

• • Technical learning, which involves searching for technical solutions to fixed objectives;

• • Conceptual learning, which involves redefining goals, problem definitions and strategies; and

• • Social learning, which emphasises dialogue and increased interaction between those involved (distinct from the concept of social learning described in the psychology literature)

Glasbergen, P. (1999). Learning to Manage the Environment. Democracy and the Environment: Problems and Prospects. In W. Lafferty and J. Meadowcroft. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar: 175-193.

Does this apply to HIA?

MethodsPilot study

Secondary analysis of data on 10 HIAs –31 interviews (collected for studies in 2007 and 2009) to see how people referred to learning

Free coding (thematic identification)

Preliminary Findings

Where learning was mentioned it was usually in terms of “other people’s learning”, i.e. other people gaining understanding of health

impacts or the proposal being assessed, rather than personal learning

Where learning was alluded to it emphasised better understanding of the connection between the proposal being assessed or

related activities, and health

This often focused on mitigation or enhancement measures

Technical learning

Most learning discussed was technical in nature and focused on making changes

In a minority of cases (n=6, Total n=31 interviews) learning was described as interactive on participatory learning – coming

together enabled a better understanding of health impacts but also ways of working and facilitated other ongoing work.

Social learning

There was almost no recognition of conceptual learning, though it was evident when there

were disagreements about what the goals of the HIA were

e.g. whether the role of the HIA was to suggest markedly different alternatives or just to make

predictions and to suggest mitigation measures

Does this mean that opportunities for considering alternatives within HIAs are being lost?

Alternatives are not all the same:1.End of pipe alternatives2.Area alternatives3.Size alternatives4.Technological alternatives5. Institutional alternatives6.Goal alternatives

Without conceptual learning we won’t see the final two

Source: Thai Health Public Policy Foundation (2007) A Training Manual for Health Impact Assessment: Bangkok.

ConclusionWhilst HIAs are clearly resulting in learning further research is required to

describe the nature of the learning and the mechanisms by which this occurs

There’s also value in being explicit about what you hope to learn and what role alternatives will play – this helps to scope the assessment and may

minimise conflict

More information hiaconnect.edu.au

b.harris-roxas@unsw.edu.au