Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

Abstract #155287

Cindy Gamboa¹, Sheryl Weir¹, Amy J. Schulz, PhD¹, Sicari Ware, MPA², Ilene Shevrin, BA¹, Sharon Sand¹, Caroline Wang, DrPH¹, Angela Reyes, MPH², Murlisa Robinson³, Barbara A. Israel, DrPH¹, Janae Asford², and Tomas Acosta². (1) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, 109 S Observatory, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 313 593 0908, cegamboa@umich.edu, (2) Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, 1121 Trumbull, Detroit, MI 48209, (3) Detroit Health Department, 1151 Taylor Rm 646B, Detroit, MI 48202

The purpose of this presentation is to describe and analyze a youth Photovoice project that engaged 24 youth from demographically diverse neighborhoods within Detroit, Michigan, in analysis and action planning concerning the physical and social environmental conditions that influence cardiovascular health in their communities. The youth Photovoice project was one component of a multifaceted community assessment process of the Healthy Environments Partnership, a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project that contributed to the development of plans for a multilevel intervention to address disparities in cardiovascular health. The youth used photography to document environmental conditions in their neighborhoods and a structured process to discuss the underlying causes of those conditions and potential strategies for change. We will describe the process of working with the youth and the issues they identified and prioritized over a nine month period, as well as their participation in the design of a plan for community change. The youth identified conditions in the physical environment as a priority factor affecting cardiovascular health in their neighborhoods. They met with representatives from several local organizations working to improve aspects of the physical environment in Detroit (e.g., illegal dumping, community gardening, air pollution, truck traffic), and organized a meeting with local policy makers regarding their concerns about and suggested strategies for addressing this priority area. We will present selected results from the evaluation of this project, and discuss lessons learned and implications for engaging youth in a broader CBPR approach to community assessment and planning to promote cardiovascular health.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Describe the process used in working with youth to document and assess neighborhood conditions that influence cardiovascular health.
• 2.Discuss how the youth Photovoice results were used to inform the design of a multilevel intervention to improve cardiovascular health.
• 3.Describe the process for involving youth as part of an intervention planning team that developed strategies for a multilevel intervention to improve cardiovascular health.
• 4.Discuss strategies employed by the Photovoice youth to inform policy related to improving neighborhood conditions.

Keywords: Adolescents, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.