TY - JOUR
T1 - No one runs alone
T2 - Combining community-based program evaluation with photo elicitation interviewing among people experiencing homelessness
AU - Tobin, Karin E.
AU - Winiker, Abigail
AU - Moran, Marybeth
AU - Felsher, Marisa
AU - Owczarzak, Jill
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by The Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion , USA grant# 1603060019 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/4
Y1 - 2023/4
N2 - Background: Homelessness is associated with poor physical and mental health, but social support may reduce negative health outcomes. A community-academic partnership with Back on My Feet (BoMF), an organization in Baltimore, MD serving people experiencing homelessness, used photo elicitation interviews (PEI) to explore how social interactions within program activities improved mental health among participants. Methods: Between October 2018 and June 2019, 29 BoMF participants were recruited. Participants were provided digital cameras and photographed what BoMF meant to them. Participants presented photographs in meetings that were audio recorded and transcribed. Thirty-three themes and 44 photographs were generated. Findings were presented at a public photo exhibit. The partnership used content analysis of transcripts to build upon participant-generated themes for peer-review publication. Results: Social interaction among BoMF participants and volunteers helped participants form new positive social networks, often for the first time, which made participants feel valued by their peers. This led to increased self-worth, a greater sense of social support and social connectedness, and confidence that participants could overcome future challenges. Conclusions: Combining community-based research with PEI provided a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms through with BoMF's activities facilitated positive mental health among participants and was a feasible approach to program evaluation.
AB - Background: Homelessness is associated with poor physical and mental health, but social support may reduce negative health outcomes. A community-academic partnership with Back on My Feet (BoMF), an organization in Baltimore, MD serving people experiencing homelessness, used photo elicitation interviews (PEI) to explore how social interactions within program activities improved mental health among participants. Methods: Between October 2018 and June 2019, 29 BoMF participants were recruited. Participants were provided digital cameras and photographed what BoMF meant to them. Participants presented photographs in meetings that were audio recorded and transcribed. Thirty-three themes and 44 photographs were generated. Findings were presented at a public photo exhibit. The partnership used content analysis of transcripts to build upon participant-generated themes for peer-review publication. Results: Social interaction among BoMF participants and volunteers helped participants form new positive social networks, often for the first time, which made participants feel valued by their peers. This led to increased self-worth, a greater sense of social support and social connectedness, and confidence that participants could overcome future challenges. Conclusions: Combining community-based research with PEI provided a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms through with BoMF's activities facilitated positive mental health among participants and was a feasible approach to program evaluation.
KW - People experiencing homelessness
KW - Photo elicitation
KW - Social support
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U2 - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2022.102206
DO - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2022.102206
M3 - Article
C2 - 36621203
AN - SCOPUS:85146017370
SN - 0149-7189
VL - 97
JO - Evaluation and Program Planning
JF - Evaluation and Program Planning
M1 - 102206
ER -