\u201cHaving a photo to\nlook at helped create conversation,\u201d Williamson said. \u201cIf I asked a question,\nthey may not have come up with as many ideas as when they had a photo to prompt\nthem and they could talk about it on their own time and in the own terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guided\nby a Community Advisory Board (CAB) and the university\u2019s tribal liaison, the\ncommunity-engaged research project through the Center for Health Equity\nResearch (CHER) worked with four Native American men with intellectual or\ndevelopmental disabilities and their self-selected caregivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nmethodology, referred to as Photovoice, was developed in 1992 by Caroline Wang\nand Mary Ann Burris. Participants tell their stories or share their\nperspectives by taking photographs that reflect research themes. The\nphotographs are then interpreted in group discussions, and narratives are\ndeveloped around themes to mobilize change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Photovoice project,\ntitled \u201cExploring Health and Wellness Among Native American Adults With Intellectual\nand\/or Developmental Disabilities and Their Family Caregivers,\u201d took place in\nfive steps over about two months and included a group orientation, taking photos, individual interviews, a photo\nproject group meeting and a group meeting with the CAB to present photo projects and\ndecide on future action. The study was\npublished in the Journal of Applied\nResearch in Intellectual Disabilities on Aug. 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Williamson, an assistant professor in CHER and the Department\nof Occupational Therapy at NAU, led\nthe research team that included two\nNAU occupational therapy doctoral students, Alissa\nBrennan<\/strong> and Samantha Tress<\/strong>, who\nhave since graduated. Darold Joseph<\/strong>, an assistant professor in\nthe Department of Educational Specialties, and CHER director Julie Baldwin<\/strong>. Russ Randall, transition facilitator at\nCoconino High School, also was one of the community partners on the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nstudy explored various areas of health such as physical, social, mental and\nspiritual well-being for individuals with intellectual and developmental\ndisabilities and their caregivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis\nstudy provided an opportunity for these individuals to uniquely express their\nown definitions of health and how their community plays a large role,\u201d Brennan\nsaid. \u201cOne of the best parts of this study was to observe how the participants\ntalked about their work environments, extracurricular activities, family and friends\nas they explained their own definition of health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The participants\ndescribed how the photographs represent memories and cultural connections that\ncontribute to their definition of health and wellness, according to the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Williamson said that in one case, a mother participating in the study had a son with a disability and also a daughter who joined to support her sibling. The mother said she enjoyed seeing her children connect through the Photovoice project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tress\nsaid she thought the study was a good first step toward understanding the\nperceptions and attitudes of people who are Native American and have\nintellectual or developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope this research\ncontinues to perpetuate positive change toward access and involvement in\nactivities that promote health and wellness not only in northern Arizona, but\nin other communities with marginalized populations,\u201d Tress said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team discovered that to address health inequities and\nto better understand them, they must continue to explore health and wellness\nfrom the unique perspectives of Native\nAmerican individuals with\nintellectual or developmental disabilities. Even after the project ended, members of the CAB, the research team and some\nof the participants have continued to collaborate on efforts to build capacity\nfor competitive employment of Native American individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the\ncommunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Community\npartner Randall said the collaboration with NAU researchers has been a positive\npartnership and that they are branching out into other projects that benefit\nyoung adults with intellectual\nor developmental disabilities in the\ncommunity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would say the research project is\nongoing and is more of a process,\u201d Randall said. \u201cIt has been a good\ncollaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Occupational Therapy\nFoundation and NAU\u2019s Faculty Grant Program provided funding for this project. Read\nthe full research study published in the Journal of Applied Research in\nIntellectual Disabilities<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Heather](\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Williamson-Brennan-Tress-at-AAIDD-06262019-72dpi.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/CHER-Figure-1024x963.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"NAU](\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png\")
<\/figure>