title: Por Nuestros Ojos: understanding social determinants of health through the eyes of youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding the social determinants underlying health disparities benefits from a mixed-methods, participatory research approach.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Photovoice was used in a research project seeking to identify and validate existing data and models used to address socio-spatial determinants of health in at-risk neighborhoods.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-risk neighborhoods were identified using geospatial models of pre-identified social determinants of health. Students living within these neighborhoods were trained in Photovoice, and asked to take pictures of elements that influence their neighborhood's health and to create narratives explaining the photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students took 300 photographs showing elements that they perceived affected community health. Negative factors included poor pedestrian access, inadequate property maintenance, pollution, and evidence of gangs, criminal activity, and vagrancy. Positive features included public service infrastructure and outdoor recreation. Photovoice data confirmed and contextualized the geospatial models while building community awareness and capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photovoice can be a useful research tool for building community capacity and validating quantitative data describing social determinants of health.
authors.forename: Johanna Claire
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.forename: Brisa Urquieta
authors.initials: BU
authors.lastname: de Hernandez
authors.forename: Lacey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Janni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.forename: Owen J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Furuseth
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Dulin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003415:Crime; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students