Abstract

Health systems in the developed world are becoming unsustainable and health inequalities continue to widen around the globe. Applying asset-based approaches offers a new way of enhancing tangible and intangible collective attributes, such as: building capacity, strengthening resilience, and empowering individuals, communities and systems to promote women's and men's health and impact social change. This study's purpose was to develop and apply a set of Health Asset Practice (HAP) principles and three HAP tools on four health-related projects, and to determine the relevance and benefit of using these tools. The design for this qualitative, action research study was based on the participatory action research methodology and the multiple case method involving four bounded cases and four units of analysis. Data collection involved the application of three health asset-based tools. Data analysis focused on matching data collection outputs to four theoretical propositions, and cross-case analysis. Study findings showed that health asset practice tools can be used at various stages of a health promotion project for educational, prospective and retrospective purposes, i.e., 1) When initially gaining insight about asset-based approaches, 2) When preparing for a health promotion project, 3) When developing assets and deploying resources, and 4) When identifying what has been learned throughout a project life cycle. The study concluded that the integrated application of health asset practice principles and tools promotes the realization of benefit regardless of variations in project size, scope, context, culture and/or location. This study made a scientific contribution by codifying the application of health asset practice on four health promotion projects. Further research could determine the extent to which health asset practice enables everyone at all levels and in all settings to be well, while also helping to inform health system improvement and sustainability.

Authors and Affiliations