Using Photovoice to Understand Survivors' Healthcare Experiences and Strategies

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Trauma Studies
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Barriers to trauma-informed care include the unique nature of trauma and limited healthcare resources.
• Survivor perspectives and healthcare navigation strategies are underrepresented in current literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe healthcare experiences of female survivors of violence.
• To identify survivors' strategies for navigating healthcare, providers, and the system.
• To inform the development of empowering and efficient trauma-informed care.

Main Methods:

• Participatory Photovoice study with community-based women survivors of violence.
• Iterative series of five Photovoice meetings involving discussion and shared experiences.
• Qualitative analysis of survivor narratives on vulnerability and healthcare interactions.

Main Results:

• Survivors experience multifaceted vulnerability in healthcare settings related to past trauma and retraumatizing experiences.
• Perceived belief from healthcare providers regarding symptoms, concerns, and trauma disclosures is crucial.
• Survivors highlighted the importance of collaborative decision-making and accessible medical information.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers must integrate survivor self-knowledge and believe trauma disclosures for effective care.
• Accountability for providers includes accessible records and belief in patient concerns.
• Future research should utilize participatory methods to advance trauma-informed care for survivors.