© The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 20 A Peer Reviewed Publication of the Co Dedicated to allied http://ijahsp.no Using Photovoice to Identi Susa Yolan 1. Assistant Professor, Midwestern Uni 2. Professor and Head, University of Illi CITATION: Cahill S, Suarez-Balcazar Y. Using P Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. Apri ABSTRACT Purpose: Children in the United States are at risk f if a picture taking assignment based on Photovo influenced their health and participation in active oc old completed the picture taking assignment and identify factors that promoted a healthy lifestyle, a established individual goals related to health an practitioners who work with children can integrat e s with the opportunity to discuss and share their opin when implementing action plans. INTRODUCTION Children growing up today in the United States are children will struggle with maintaining a healthy weig of children forty years ago. 2,3 Children who are ove and co-morbid medical conditions, including diabet professionals are concerned with childhood obesity address the dynamic factors that influence their lifes This article reports the findings from an exploratory elementary school students in a reflection during th this study used a picture taking assignment based metropolitan area to see if they could document fact Photovoice is a participatory action research meth barriers that influence participants’ wellbeing. 9,10 Th of their daily lives and answering a standard set of improve a situation or behavior of concern. Ideally, t the group. Although research regarding the use of P are available that examine how this participator lifestyles. 11,12 012 ollege of Health Care Sciences at Nova Southeastern Univers health professional practice and education ova.edu Vol. 10 No. 2 ISSN 1540-580X tify Factors that Influence Children’s Health an M. Cahill, PhD, OTR/L 1 nda Suarez-Balcazar, PhD 2 iversity, Occupational Therapy Program inois at Chicago, College of Applied Health Sciences, Occupationa United States Photovoice to Identify Factors that Influence Children’s Health. T il 2012. Volume 10 Number 2. for developing obesity at higher rates than ever before. The study i oice was effective in engaging children in a discussion about f ccupations. Method: Seventeen children between the ages of 10 an participated in a structured discussion. Results: The children w as well as factors that did not promote a healthy lifestyle. The ch nd participation in active occupations. Conclusions: Occupatio similar assignments into their practice. Such assignments will prov nions and concerns, as well as identify potential barriers they migh e at a significant risk for developing childhood obesity. 1 Approxima ght and an active lifestyle before they reach adulthood, comp ared t erweight or obese are at risk for psychosocial issues, such as soci tes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and high blood pressu re. 4 Whi y, occupational therapists are uniquely prepared to help children i styles and overall health. 5,6 y pilot study that used an innovative strategy to engage Latino and he school day about their lifestyles and occupational participation. S d on Photovoice with students from a middle class neighborhood tors that influenced their health and participation in active occupatio hod that has been used by occupational therapists to identify su he Photovoice process involves participants taking pictures that dep f questions (see Table 1) to express their thoughts about ways to the participants’ discussion leads to a plan of action that can be ca Photovoice with children and youth is available in the literature, sca ry strategy can be used by children to identify factors that im sity h al Therapy The Internet investigated factors that nd 11 years were able to hildren also onal therapy vide children ht enco unter ately 16% of to just 3.5% ial isolation, ile all health identify a nd d Caucasian Specifically, d in a large ons. 7,8 upports and pict aspects o address or arri ed out by arce studies mpact their