Tobacco-free boys and parents use Photovoice to tell their stories: Issues and solutions

This qualitative study addresses major gaps in the youth tobacco prevention literature. The primary aim is to identify attitudes, beliefs, values, strategies, and shared meanings associated with tobacco-free behaviors of rural dwelling male adolescents and their parents. Factors associated with being tobacco free have received minimal attention over three decades of youth tobacco prevention research. This study explores differences in belief structures and the meaning attached to nonsmoking and non-use of smokeless tobacco among groups of African American and Caucasian American male adolescents and their parents from rural tobacco-growing regions. In addition, this study was designed to assess whether a modified Photovoice method would enhance the contribution of male adolescent participants and parents in individual and group interviews. Photovoice is a qualitative approach that uses images to promote effective way of sharing thoughts and beliefs about a specific topic. Researchers have used Photovoice to facilitate group conversations and to encourage participants to share their thoughts among themselves. In this study, Photovoice is a concrete way for participants to express their perceptions about being tobacco-free, amplified through photographs that respond to questions about this topic. This approach may be particularly effective with male adolescents, who may be hesitant to share their thoughts and feelings, or have a hard time articulating their thoughts. In this presentation, we will describe the issues raised by the Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) of two collaborating universities and the process of resolution. Based on our experiences, the feasibility of research using Photovoice with male adolescents and their parents applied to youth tobacco prevention will be discussed. In addition, implications related to the utility of Photovoice as a complementary qualitative method for use in future community-based participatory research will be examined.