Asset Based Approach to Healthcare – Diabetes in Immigrants
The asset-based approach to healthcare is considered as a substitute to the conventional treatment or deficits based approach to addressing healthcare related issues. The treatment based approach focuses on the community as the recipients of healthcare solutions. On the other hand, the asset-based approach takes advantage of the resources in a community. The skills, knowledge, values, and connections in a community are considered and made visible. The approach promotes social capital, connectedness, and visibility and emphasizes the importance of delivering healthcare solutions at the same time utilizing the available resources (Swartz, 2017). Roy (2017) also purports that the asset based approach can be considered a good way to address social problems related to healthcare.
In the case of diabetes among immigrants, addressing the situation within the context of the migration situation and diabetes would involve consideration of the different community competencies, values, and the connections shared. This approach is best used where there is a diverse population characteristic in a given community. For instance, among immigrants, there can be people with diverse professional backgrounds, which can be useful in delivering quality care to people with diabetes. Similarly, knowledge about the condition can be shared to reach all community members without significant cost implications if those who possess the knowledge are treated as resources for others (Swartz, 2017).
The asset-based approach comes with three strengths. Namely, they promote self-care by focusing on the knowledge and competence of civilians rather than their needs; they enhance mindful and purposeful use of health assets; and focus on improving individual capabilities and strengths for self care rather than focusing on the self-care deficits that result from diabetes (Van de Venter & Redwood, 2016). Conversely, focus on community and individual resources in the context of diabetes among immigrant populations can divert attention from healthcare problems. Furthermore, by relying on community strengths, holistic diabetes management among immigrants can be constrained by dependence on others (Van de Venter & Redwood, 2016). Another limitation is the approach’s emphasis on community assets without regard to power relationships in the community.
References
Roy, M.J. (2017). The assets-based approach: Furthering a neoliberal agenda or rediscovering the old public health? A critical examination of practitioner discourses. Journal of Critical Public Health, 27(4), 455-464. Retrieved from www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09581596.2016.1249826
Swartz, M.K. (2017). A strength-based approach to care. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, 31, 1-1. Retrieved from www.jpedhc.org/article/S0891-5245(16)30281-4/pdf
Van de Venter, E. & Redwood, S. (2016). Does an asset based community development project promote health and well-being? The Lancet, 388(S108). Retrieved from www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)32344-3/fulltext