Paper
Monday, November 14, 2005
Immigrant Latino Adolescents' Perceptions of Health...In Their Own Words And Pictures
Carolyn Marie Garcia, PhD, MS, MPH1, Elizabeth M. Saewyc, PhD2, Linda H. Bearinger, PhD3, Michael D. Resnick, PhD4, and Laura J. Duckett, PhD3. (1) Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, (2) School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, (3) School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, (4) Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Identify three aspects of being healthy and unhealthy as described by immigrant Latino adolescents |
| Learning Objective #2: Recognize value of using creative research methodologies such as photographs with adolescent participants |
Introduction: Strong health disparities exist between Latino teens and the majority population of adolescents in the U.S. It is important that the impact of these disparities on adolescents' health and health-related behaviors be understood. To gain this understanding, the teens' views of their health are necessary. Objectives: To explore how Latino adolescents perceive the concept of health and their own health. Methods: A focused ethnographic study was conducted using one-to-one interviewing, participant observations, and visual narratives. The visual narratives were created with disposable cameras provided to each teen with instructions to ‘take pictures of life as an immigrant Latino adolescent, with a focus on health.' Results: The sample (N=14) included 9 females and 5 males, who were 15 to 20 years of age, and emigrated from Mexico within the past 3 years. Interviews and photos were coded using Atlas.ti. For participants, being healthy involved a variety of individual, family, peer, community, and social factors portrayed in words and photos. Participants identified unhealthy influences and behaviors that included substance use, risky sexual behaviors, peer pressure, depression, and violence. Pictures portrayed family members consuming alcohol during a social gathering in the backyard. Positively, personal responsibility was important in being healthy and in promoting one's health. They turned to family members as primary sources of health-related information. For health promotion, the adolescents preferred face-to-face contact and radio messages instead of written brochures or television ads. Discussion: These immigrant Latino adolescents displayed positive and asset based perspectives of health, focused on protective factors and strengths. This suggests culturally sensitive nurses should also employ positive, strengths-based approaches for promoting the health of immigrant Latino youth. Emphasis should be placed on face-to-face communication. Since family is an important source of health-related information and referral, nurses should support family involvement in health care when teens want it.