Davidson, NC: Health Impact Assessment of Worksite Wellness Program

This Health Impact Assessment (HIA) evaluates the current state of workplace wellness in Davidson, North Carolina, and proposes methodologies to enhance wellness capacity for both large and small companies. Following a six-step process—screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation—the HIA identifies potential health implications of proposed projects on the population. Key recommendations include designing a corporate trial to promote worksite wellness, supporting a local workplace wellbeing coordinator, facilitating the expansion of small business wellness capacity, and encouraging employers to provide well-designed, high-quality wellness programs that address specific workforce needs. The HIA underscores the significance of worksite wellness programs in improving workforce health and yielding economic benefits, making it a valuable resource for decision-makers and policymakers in Davidson. The report highlights how informed policies derived from research and real-life situations can lead to more effective and productive outcomes.

Running head: HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1
Health Impact Assessment
Name
Institutional Affiliation

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According to the National Research Council of the National Academics (2011), a Health Impact
Assessment (HIA) is an organized procedure that implements a wide array of statistics collection
approaches as well as analysis methods while simultaneously considering the contribution of
role-players to figure out the possible implications that a suggested plot, strategy, program or
project has on a population’s health and the spread of the effects in the people. This HIA is
purposed to evaluate the present condition of workplace wellness in Davidson. Further on,
probable methodologies which the town of Davidson can employ to support both large and small
companies achieve a higher capacity for workplace wellness.
The HIA embarks on a six-step process to collect data and subsequently analyze the data to
figure out the probable implications of a proposed project on the inhabitants’ health. With each
step influencing the next one, the steps are screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations,
reporting, monitoring and evaluation (Ross, Orenstein, & Botchwey, 2014). In screening, the
probability of a proposal bringing about health impacts is determined. The potential of the HIA
to avail critical information to stakeholders and decision-makers is also examined. Scoping is the
second process whereby the data sources, alternative consideration, the HIA team, population to
be affected by the HIA, and the range of health implications to be incorporated in the HIA are
determined. The third step is the Assessment. It is a dual process that commences with a
explanation of the health status model of the population. Latent impacts are then assessed. The
fourth step is Recommendations, whereby, viable alternatives that are implementable to heighten
workplace health are brought into the limelight. In the reporting step, findings and subsequent
commendations are presented to decision makers and stakeholders. The last phase is Monitoring
& Evaluation. This is an oversight stage where HIA recommendations that have been
implemented are closely monitored to determine the changes in health that will arise.

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After the HIA, various recommendations were brought forth to various parties. The town of
Davidson was advised to design a corporate trial in the town to endorse worksite wellness among
all companies. It is also to support a professional workplace wellbeing coordinator locally. Also,
Davidson is to facilitate the expansion of all small business wellness capacity in the town.
Additionally, it was recommended to Davidson's employers that they all aim at the provision of
well-designed workplace wellness programs for all their employees. They are also required to
embark on availing programs that are of high quality as well as handling specific needs of
workforces across all businesses.
This HIA is of prime significance to all stakeholders. From a comprehensive perspective,
worksite wellness programs significantly improve the health of the workforce while
simultaneously bringing about economic gains for a business. This HIA is therefore of great aid
to decision makers and policy makers of Davidson town (Hebert, 2012). It is indeed true that the
authors of the report were trying to influence policy and program making. Policies are
formulated out of statistics informed by research address real-life situations captured in the
report and are thus more effective and productive.

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References
Ross, C. L., Orenstein, M., & Botchwey, N. (2014). Health Impact Assessment in the United
States. Springer Science & Business Media.
National Research Council of the National Academies. Improving health in the United States:
The role of
health impact assessment. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2011:46. Free
PDF
available at: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13229
Hebert, K. A. (2012). Health impact assessments in North Carolina: Promoting public health
through
informed decisions. North Carolina Medical Journal, 73(4), 297-300