Characterizing asset-based studies in public health: development of a framework

Asset-based approaches are becoming more common within public health interventions; however, due to variations in terminology, it can be difficult to identify asset-based approaches. The study aimed to develop and test a framework that could distinguish between asset-based and deficit-based community studies, whilst acknowledging there is a continuum of approaches. Literature about asset-based and deficit-based approaches were reviewed and a framework was developed based on the Theory of Change model. A scoring system was developed for each of the five elements in the framework based on this model. Measurement of community engagement was built in, and a way of capturing how much the study involved an asset approach. The framework was tested on 13 studies examining community-based interventions to investigate whether it could characterize asset-based versus deficit-based studies. The framework demonstrated how much the principles underpinning asset-based approaches were present and distinguished between studies where the approach was deficit-based to those that had some elements of an asset-based approach. This framework is useful for researchers and policymakers when determining how much of an intervention is asset-based and identifying which elements of asset-based approaches lead to an intervention working.