Using Photovoice to Capture the Understanding of Heart Health in the Chinese American Community

Background: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., and studies have found that stroke is the leading cause of death for Chinese American women. The Chinese American Healthy Heart Coalition in partnership with NYU developed a community-based intervention to address this unmet health concern.

Methods: To capture the breadth and depth of the Chinese community's perspectives on heart health, photovoice was used as an innovative method to enhance understanding of the health needs and the available resources on cardiovascular disease and related conditions among Chinese American women in NYC. Photovoice enables participants to identify, record, and represent their knowledge of personal and community issues. Through photos, participants conceptualize and reflect on the issues, promote critical dialogue, and document lived experiences. The project engaged senior women and high school students, divided into two cohorts by age group.. A series of orientation and discussion-based workshops were facilitated with each group. Once all phases of the photovoice and analyses are completed, the photographs, identified themes, and accompanying notes or captions will be included for public presentation.

Results: Using photos and emergent themes, we illustrate how nutrition, and social and environmental factors impact participants' cardiovascular health. We also explore the generational differences and similarities between the senior group and the youth. Findings from the photovoice project will be used to evaluate existing interventions, develop culturally appropriate health education programs, enhance outreach, and change community norms pertaining to the understanding of cardiovascular disease and health promotion in this population.