ABSTRACT
Brexit, COVID-19 and climate change pose challenges of national and global importance. They continue to have impacts across the economy, society, health, and the environment, all of which are determinants of health and well-being. Between 2018 and 2021, Public Health Wales undertook three Health Impact Assessments (HIA) in relation to the impact of the challenges in Wales. Based on these, work has been carried out to map the synergies across the 'Triple Challenge'. This paper highlights the commonalities in the impact of the three challenges for Wales, discusses the process carried out, learns from it and proposes actions that can be taken to mitigate harm. Results indicate the three components of the Triple Challenge must not be viewed as separate silos as they have cumulative multi-faceted impacts. This affects some population groups more negatively than others and present a 'Triple Challenge' to nation states in the UK and Europe. A HIA approach can enable a range of stakeholders to critically view similar challenges not just as single issues but as a holistic whole to mobilise action.
ABSTRACT
Issue Public health Institutes (PHIs) need to build on traditional approaches to capture and measure their value and impact. As we transfer into the COVID-19 recovery phase, it is important to maximise the value of the health impact but also the social, economic and environmental impact of PHIs. Exploration is required to understand how the social value and impact of PHIs is, or can be, captured and measured. Existing research has illustrated the potential link between Health Impact Assessment (HIA) which assesses health and well-being through the lens of the determinants of health, and economic methods such as Social Return on Investment (SROI). This research aims to understand the current role which PHIs have, in order to strengthen advocacy for investment in public health and prevention in order to protect and improve population health. Description of the problem A scoping survey was designed and distributed digitally to national and regional PHIs via international networks. Semi-structured interviews were also used to add a qualitative value to the research to allow for triangulation of results. The survey data was analysed descriptively and interview data analysed thematically and coded. Results The results of the research present an understanding of the meaning of investment, social value and health impact within PHIs including how it is measured using SROI and HIA. It also highlights whether PHIs have considered how capturing social value and health impact can contribute to the recovery from COVID-19, and whether they believe that SROI and HIA have a role in achieving this. Lessons This innovative work aims to develop a picture of how PHIs are capturing and measuring the wider social, economic and environmental value of their programmes and services. Survey results will be used to help develop a framework for capturing the wider impact and value of public health at an international level, with an aim to achieving sustainable investment in future public health. Key messages Making the case for investing in public health by illustrating its social, economic and environmental value is vital. Understanding how to capture and measure the wider value of public health is imperative to aid the recovery from COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The SARS-COV-02 pandemic has globally resulted in a number of policies and interventions to address and reduce the transmission of the disease throughout the population. Mitigation measures have ranged from ‘Staying at Home' or ‘Lockdowns' to social distancing policies and requirements to work from home when you can. Whilst there are a number of papers which discuss the effects of home or remote working on employees and their families the large scale shift, accelerated pace and wider impacts of such a shift has not been well explored in the literature or has been focussed on specific topics, for example, productivity. HIA is promoted as a beneficial tool to identify the wider impacts of a policy, plan or intervention across a population and as such is well placed to examine and articulate who in a population may be affected and how, and the inequalities that may be created by an intervention such as home working. Using the lens of social determinants and equity focussed-HIA, this work examines the wider impact of home working in Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a coherent overview of the major impacts on health and the particular populations affected. It articulates the process followed, the key evidence based findings, discusses the gaps in the evidence base that require further exploration and the impact and influence it has had to date. Finally, it shares the transferable learning, which will be of use to researchers, policy and decision makers, organisations and public health agencies.