Promoting Health Equity in Urban Policies: Opportunities for Health Impact Assessment and Related Approaches

Keshia Pollack Porter, PhD, MPH

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 

UHC Invited Speaker Series

The health and well-being of a community is determined by a wide range of influences, including economic, social and environmental factors. Health Impact Assessments (HIA) examine the effects of health impacts on policies, plans and projects before they are set into motion. During this talk, Dr. Pollack Porter will discuss ways to bring intentionality to HIA and to further include equity considerations in this and other related approaches, with an emphasis on policy. Her talk will include case studies and examples of HIA in addressing leading urban health problems, as well as a discussion of conceptual and field work. 

Keshia Pollack Porter, PhD, MPH is a Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she directs the Institute for Health and Social Policy. Her research advances policies that create safe and healthy environments where people live, work, play, and travel. Dr. Pollack Porter's ongoing research includes reducing injuries at work and during sports; promoting safe places for children to play and safe opportunities for walking and biking; and creating safe, healthy, and equitable built environments. She also interacts with policymakers to promote the use of science during the policymaking process. Dr. Pollack Porter has been helping to advance “health in all policies” strategies among federal, state, and local policymakers.

 

The Urban Health Collaborative's distinguished speaker series "New Directions in Urban Health Research and Action" focuses on innovative approaches to improving urban health both in the United States and abroad.