142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Online Program

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

309093
Engaging youth in the social lives of the communities – A Photo-Voice Pilot Project to promote change

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Rasy Mar, MPH , Community Based Education, University of Connecticut School Medicine, Farmington, CT
Stacey Brown, PhD , Community Medicine and Healthcare, UConn School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
In New Britain, Connecticut, more than one-third of households have incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.  As one strategy for addressing the myriad issues facing low income families, the Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCAP) offers programs to middle and high school students. In 2013, the University of Connecticut, School of Medicine, Community Based Education Office, and Connecticut Multicultural Health Partnership partnered with ConnCAP to offer a Photo-Voice project. Photo-Voice is an engaging photography and storytelling technique that offers participants the opportunity to share their perceptions and impressions of their community and of the local conditions that affect their health and well-being. Our goal was to engage teens through reflection and critical discussions as a tool for social change.

 Thirty-two eighth graders from diverse ethnic backgrounds participated.  The program involved interactive didactic sessions covering: perceptions of health, social determinants of health and health disparities. In small groups, students selected the focus of their photo-voice project and each received a disposable camera.

 Results:

  • Increased understanding of social and environmental conditions impacting the health of their communities
  • Ability to recognize and describe specific factors influencing health (e.g. unhealthy lunch options in school, unsafe neighborhoods, limited green spaces for recreation)
  • Increased interest in advocacy efforts

 Using story boards to display their photos and accompanying narratives, the students presented their work on a college campus and at the state capitol. Approximately 400 people viewed their work and future presentations are being scheduled.  As a tool for educating youth and inspiring advocacy, Photo-Voice is a powerful instrument.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Formulate youth in discussions of health and their communities through critical reflection and group dialogue Identify and define strengths and concerns of the community using Photo-Voice Explain benefits of and strategies for community partnerships to educate youth and address health disparities

Keyword(s): Advocacy, Community-Based Partnership & Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a Community Based Education Specialist at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, I precept and participate in educational activities that include: health concerns related to the LGBT community, cross cultural communication skills and strategies for eliminating health disparities. I develop and maintain community relationships between the medical students and outside organizations where they learn about health disparities, cultural barriers and other aspects of medicine not found in a classroom setting.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

Back to: 2073.0: Community-Based and Community-Engaged Health Promotion Programs