Why and how is photovoice used as a decolonising method for health research with Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada? A scoping review

• Published in: Nursing inquiry Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. e12605 - n/a
• Main Authors: Vining, Rebecca, Finn, Mairéad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2024
• Subjects: American Indian or Alaska Native; Canada; Colonialism; Community; community‐based participatory research; decolonisation; Dissemination; Empowerment; Health disparities; Health problems; Humans; Indigenous Canadians; Indigenous peoples; Indigenous populations; Literature reviews; Marginality; Medical research; North America; Participatory research; Partnerships; Photography; photovoice; Research methodology; Research partnerships; scoping review; United States; Canada; United States; United States > US; photovoice; Indigenous populations; community‐based participatory research; North America; decolonisation; scoping review
• ISSN: 1320-7881; 1440-1800; 1440-1800
• DOI: 10.1111/nin.12605

Globally, including in North America, Indigenous populations have poorer health than non‐Indigenous populations. This health disparity results from inequality and marginalisation associated with colonialism. Photovoice is a community‐based participatory research method that amplifies the voices of research participants. Why and how photovoice has been used as a decolonising method for addressing Indigenous health inequalities has not been mapped. A scoping review of the literature on photovoice for Indigenous health research in the United States and Canada was carried out. Five electronic databases and the grey literature were searched, with no time limit. A total of 215 titles and s and 97 full texts were screened resulting in 57 included articles. Analysis incorporated Lalita Bharadwaj's Framework For Building Research Partnerships with First Nations Communities. Photovoice was selected to improve knowledge mobilisation and participant empowerment and engagement. Studies incorporated relationship building, meaningful data collection, and public dissemination but had a lesser focus on the inclusion of Indigenous peer researchers or participant involvement in analysis. For photovoice to truly realise its decolonising potential, it must be incorporated into a broader participatory and decolonising research paradigm. In addition, more resources are required to support the involvement of Indigenous people in the research process.