Public Health displays Photo Voice project

June 25, 2015 · 0 Comments

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health wrapped up their Photo Voice project “Picturing Health in Our Community” on June 18th with a display of photography at the Shelburne Library. Photos taken by Shelburne participants pictured what helped or hindered healthy living in Shelburne.
Lisa Needham, a Public Health nutritionist and one of the hosts June 18th called it “an exploratory project.” Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) wants to know how our surroundings affect the choices we make about health and how the organization can work “to make the healthiest options the easiest options” in their communities. They asked local residents to take photographs and write captions to be sent to researchers for analysis. Blair Hodgson, the project co-ordinator reported, that the photographs would be used to show “specific ways that a person’s social, physical and cultural environment can make it easier or harder to engage in healthy behaviours.” WDGPH will use this photo information to discern where changes can be made in the community to make a healthy lifestyle more accessible.
The Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention team at Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) will use the photos to understand how a community’s environment allows residents to conduct their lives in ways that raises or lowers the risk for developing chronic diseases; behaviours such as healthy eating, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco use and injury prevention. Participating photographers had two to four weeks to take photos in Shelburne that showed how the environment affects behaviours towards healthy living.
According to the project review, “Participants from Orangeville, Shelburne and Guelph took over 200 photos of things in their communities that made it easier or harder to have a healthy lifestyle.” Project Co-ordinator Blair Hodgson says the Shelburne specific points that came out of the photo study were both positive and negative. On the positive side they found there were lots of excellent community groups that supported various ages, such as sports and fitness, the Early Years Centre, and seniors’ groups. However, there was a need for a more central community ‘hub’ or meeting place; a community space that anyone could use for classes, organizations, or community kitchens for example. They also found a great need for safe walking areas in the winter, to give families and seniors easy access to shopping, facilities and exercise.
In summary, the study found common themes in the different communities’ photos submitted: 1) friends and family were great motivators 2) accessible parks and recreational facilities meant people were more likely to exercise 3) community programs promoted healthy lifestyles 4) high prices made staying healthy difficult in everything from food to fitness 5) poorly maintained spaces, such as icy sidewalks hindered physical activity 6) access to fast food, rather than fresh food made a healthy diet challenging 7) low income areas were less likely to support healthy living with major barriers to those with fewer resources.
The reports suggests ways that WDGPH can support healthy living by making healthy food more accessible in low-income areas; promoting the maintenance of trails and sidewalks; and supporting community programs that promote healthy living.

By Marni Walsh