Question 1

What is the Health Assessment Lens and who should use it?

Accepted Answer

The Health Assessment Lens is a structured evaluation framework developed by CU Denver's Health+Design Initiative to help designers, planners, and decision-makers integrate health considerations into planning and design practice. It is organized around eight health categories that encompass the key dimensions of community health as they relate to the built environment.

The tool is intended primarily for professional practitioners — architects, planners, landscape architects, urban designers, public health professionals, and community development organizations — who want to incorporate health into their project work. However, it can also be valuable for community advocates, elected officials, and others involved in planning decisions.

The Health Assessment Lens is particularly useful at the start of a project, during the scoping phase, when teams are identifying what issues need to be addressed. It can also be used throughout the project lifecycle to check that health goals are being maintained, and at the end of a project to evaluate outcomes.

The tool is free to download and does not require any special software or training to use, though some familiarity with planning and design concepts will help users get the most out of the detailed question sets in each health category.

Question 2

What are the eight health categories in the Health Assessment Lens?

Accepted Answer

The Health Assessment Lens is organized around eight health categories that together provide a comprehensive view of community health as it relates to the built environment. Each category begins with a brief introduction and then contains a series of detailed questions to guide assessment.

Equity and Justice addresses the fair distribution of health resources, environmental benefits and burdens, and community participation in planning processes. Human Wellbeing covers physical, mental, and social health factors, including stress, safety, and social connection. Harmony with Nature examines relationships between the built and natural environment, including access to green space, water quality, and ecological systems.

Education and Wellness focuses on access to health education, wellness facilities, and community resources. Economic Resiliency addresses the financial health of individuals and communities, including employment, housing affordability, and economic stability. Healthy Homes and Buildings covers the quality of residential and non-residential buildings, indoor environmental quality, and building design for health.

Healthy Community examines the social, cultural, and civic dimensions of community life that affect health, including safety, social cohesion, and access to services. Healthy Connections addresses transportation, mobility, and connectivity — the ability of community members to access destinations safely and conveniently by multiple modes of travel.

Question 3

How do I apply the Health Assessment Lens to a project?

Accepted Answer

Applying the Health Assessment Lens begins with downloading the PDF and reviewing the eight health categories to identify which ones are most relevant to your specific project context. In some cases, all eight categories will apply; in others, a subset may be most important depending on project scope and location.

The tool works best when used collaboratively. Bringing together team members with different disciplinary backgrounds — planning, design, public health, community engagement — can help ensure that the questions in each category are interpreted comprehensively and that diverse perspectives are represented in the assessment findings.

During the scoping phase, use the Lens to identify key health issues and data gaps that should be addressed in the planning or design process. Document your findings and use them to set health-related goals and priorities for the project. Revisit the Lens at key milestones to check that health considerations are being incorporated into design decisions.

The Lens also includes applications for evaluating existing plans and programs. If you are working to improve an existing plan or policy, the detailed questions in each category can help identify where health integration is strong and where there are opportunities for improvement. This reflective application is particularly valuable for comprehensive plan updates and policy reviews.

Question 4

Is the Health Assessment Lens free to download?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Health Assessment Lens is completely free to download. It is available as a PDF document that can be accessed directly from the Health+Design Initiative website. The download link is on this page, and the document can be viewed online or saved to your device for later use.

The Health Assessment Lens was developed with public funding through a Colorado Health Foundation grant specifically to provide a free, accessible resource for the planning and design community. Its free availability reflects the initiative's commitment to broad access to health tools for professionals and communities throughout Colorado.

The PDF is formatted for printing as well as on-screen use. For the best print quality, the document is designed at 8.5" x 11" format, which can be printed on standard letter-size paper or larger format if desired. The tool is suitable for use as both a working document and a reference resource.

There are no restrictions on using the Health Assessment Lens for professional practice, research, or educational purposes. Users are encouraged to adapt the tool to their specific project contexts while maintaining the integrity of the eight-category framework.

Question 5

How does the Health Assessment Lens differ from other health impact assessment tools?

Accepted Answer

The Health Assessment Lens was designed specifically for use in the design and planning professions, which distinguishes it from many other health assessment tools that are oriented toward public health or epidemiological practice. It uses the language and frameworks familiar to architects, planners, and designers, making it more accessible and actionable for these professionals.

Unlike traditional Health Impact Assessments (HIAs), which typically require significant technical expertise and data analysis, the Health Assessment Lens is designed to be used with a range of skill levels and data availability. It provides a structured framework for qualitative assessment and reflection, not just quantitative analysis.

The eight-category framework is also distinctive in that it was developed through a participatory research process involving graduate students, faculty, and practitioners across multiple design disciplines. This interdisciplinary foundation means that the tool addresses health comprehensively — not just physical health, but also mental health, social wellbeing, equity, and environmental health.

The Lens was also designed to be integrated into the design process itself, not just added as a check at the end of a project. Its application at the scoping phase, during design development, and at evaluation stages reflects a process-integrated approach that distinguishes it from tools designed solely for project approval or regulatory compliance purposes.

Question 6

Can the Health Assessment Lens be used at any project stage?

Accepted Answer

Yes, one of the key strengths of the Health Assessment Lens is its flexibility across project stages. While it is particularly valuable at the scoping phase — the early period when a project team is identifying what issues need to be addressed — the Lens was designed to be a resource throughout the entire project lifecycle.

During scoping, the Lens helps teams identify health-related issues in the project area, understand existing health conditions, and set health goals for the project. The detailed questions in each category can guide data gathering and stakeholder engagement during this phase.

As a project moves into design development, the Lens can be used to evaluate design options against health criteria, ensuring that health goals are being maintained as design decisions are made. This ongoing application helps prevent health considerations from being set aside under budget or schedule pressure.

After a project is completed, the Lens can be used for retrospective evaluation — assessing how well health goals were achieved and identifying lessons for future projects. For long-range plans and policies, it can be applied in periodic reviews to assess whether health conditions are improving and where additional intervention is needed.

Health Assessment Lens

Download the Lens

This Tool Is Organized Around Eight Health Categories

Equity and Justice

Human Wellbeing

Harmony with Nature

Education and Wellness

Economic Resiliency

Healthy Homes and Buildings

Healthy Community

Healthy Connections

How to Use the Health Assessment Lens

The Health Assessment Lens

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Frequently Asked Questions