Asset Mapping and GIS

Public health research has traditionally focused on problems, deficiencies, disease, and contributing factors to public health problems. In recent years, community health assessments have also included community assets or resources. The process of identifying these contributions to the public health of a community is called asset mapping. One strategy for identifying assets is geographic information system (GIS) mapping. Although the asset-mapping approach to community health assessment is appealing for many reasons, not every asset map is successful, or yields results that would be relevant to a community health assessment or public health program. It is important to know the benefits and limitations of asset mapping regarding community health assessment.