Small Business and Community Health: A Health Impact Assessment and Literature Review
Abstract
Health Impact Assessments (HIA) offer a method of systematically assessing the positive and negative health consequences of policies, plans and projects implemented outside the health sector, but have not previously examined... [ view full abstract ]
Health Impact Assessments (HIA) offer a method of systematically assessing the positive and negative health consequences of policies, plans and projects implemented outside the health sector, but have not previously examined small business support programs and their effects on community and individual’s health. Though improved socioeconomic conditions and lower unemployment show clear correlations with improved population health, specific mechanisms connecting the small business sector and health in economically deprived areas remains under explored through HIA and the public health literature. Boston's regional planning agency, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), in partnership with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies conducted a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that examined the potential health impacts of changing state funding support for the Massachusetts’ Small Business Technical Assistance (SBTA) Program. The SBTA program’s purpose is to support new and growing small businesses in disadvantaged areas of the state, including small towns, immigrant neighborhoods, and communities of color. To assess potential health links and impacts, the project team conducted an exhaustive literature review connecting small business to community health. Given limited previous scholarship on the direct association between small business and health, to determine potential pathways of impact the review combined literature across disciplines such as economics, sociology, urban health and public health. The team identified several mechanisms for these impacts including: improved community connectivity, reduced unemployment and crime, and increased investment in the local economy. Small businesses likely produce small but meaningful benefits to the health of communities, particularly in economically underserved areas, suggesting the importance of continued funding for programs that support small businesses, such as the SBTA. The HIA connects literature in various disciplines to form a better understanding of the mechanisms of small business impacts on health, especially among the most vulnerable communities.
Authors
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Alina Schnake-Mahl
(Harvard Center for Population & Development Studies)
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Barry Keppard
(2. Public Health Division, Metropolitan Area Planning Council)
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Mariana Arcaya
(Harvard Center for Population & Development Studies)
Topic Areas
I. Research Collaborations 1.1 Scientific collaborations in geography and urban health 1.2 , II. Urban Health at the intersection of urban environment, social determinants and places , VII. Urban health policies 7.1 Governance and policy frameworks 7.2 Health in all policies
Session
EFA-O-05 » Evidence for Action in Policy and Programs (08:00 - Monday, 4th April, TBA)
Paper
HIA_abstract_ICUH.docx
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