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Abstract #159250

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Annette L. Fitzpatrick, PhD, MA, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 354922, Seattle, WA 98195-4922, 206-897-1903, fitzpal@u.washington.edu, Shin-Ping Tu, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 325 ninth Avenue, MS 359780, Seattle, WA 98104, Lesley Steinman, MPH, Health Services Research Center, University of Washington, 1107 NE 45th Street, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98105, and Mo-Kyung Sin, DSN, RN, College of Nursing, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, PO Box 222000, Seattle, WA 98122.

Purpose: In many settings, verbal language may not be the best means of communication, especially in non-English speaking communities. This project attempts to understand issues relating to cardiovascular disease, including barriers to and factors promoting healthy behaviors, in older Asian immigrants for whom language may present difficulties for initiating conversation. Method: Photovoice is a qualitative process by which visual representations, i.e. photographs, are used in more vulnerable populations to enable them to record and reflect on community or personal issues, and to promote critical dialogue in communicating concerns. We recruited 15 older Asian immigrants of three ethnicities, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean, and provided them with cameras to photograph objects and settings representing issues of concern to them in terms of their cardiovascular health. Participants returned for group discussions in their native languages to contextualize the stories told in the photographs and help codify themes. Results: Photographs were an excellent means to stimulate conversations of knowledge and concerns regarding heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia with participants. Issues surrounding smoking, food, physical activity, and stress were depicted leading to further discussion of individual and community needs within their homes and neighborhoods. Similarities and differences between cultures were identified. Information will be used to develop educational materials and interventions to promote cardiovascular health in non-English-speaking communities. Conclusions: Photovoice is an excellent qualitative tool for gathering information from older adults on complex health topics, including cardiovascular disease, to identify areas for health promotion, education, and further research needed in multi-cultural communities.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Understand what Photovoice is, how it is used, it’s origins, and goals in qualitative research;
• Learn about the settings in which Photovoice is most effective in providing data for use in public health research;
• Identify some of the difficulties and how to resolve them in obtaining human subjects/institutional review board (IRB) approval for using this research tool;
• Provide instruction in use of the cameras and project goals during a training session with participants;
• Learn to facilitate group discussion when participants return with their pictures.
• Understand how data are coded and presented using traditional qualitative methodologies.
• View photographs from this project as an example of how Photovoice is used in a multi-cultural setting;
• Learn to organize pictures into a presentation in order to best communicate the concerns and needs of vulnerable populations and communities to help change public health policy.

Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Chronic (CVD)

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.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout