Asthma on the College Campus: A Photovoice Approach

Background: Photographs are one type of qualitative image data used in research to capture the unique characteristics of an event, a moment, or a community. Photovoice is a form of photo elicitation in which the goals are: (a) to allow participants to document the strengths and concerns of their community, (b) to promote critical dialogue, and (c) to influence policy makers. The research question is, What are the meaningful, lived experiences of respiratory care students living with asthma on a college campus? Methods: The researcher recruited two participants with asthma who were enrolled in a respiratory care educational program on a college campus located in the Southwest region of the United States. The two participants were instructed to take photographs around campus that were meaningful to them regarding their asthma and include a meaningful statement with each photograph. A total of 38 photographs were taken around the campus by the participants. Eighteen photographs were selected for data analysis. Utilizing Creswell’s 8-step qualitative process the photographs were coded and scanned for themes. The study was approved by the author’s institutional IRB (#2017514). Voluntary consent was obtained by the researcher from each participant prior to conducting the study. Results: Upon analysis, three distinct themes emerged: 1) asthma prevalence, 2) asthma triggers, and 3) asthma resources. The dominant theme that emerged was asthma triggers. Sixty one percent (11/18) of the selected photographs addressed the issue of asthma triggers including airborne allergens such as tree and grass pollen, cigarette smoke, stress, and exercise. Table 1 reveals additional codes and themes that emerged from analysis of the data. Conclusions: The participants captured their constructed reality of living day-to-day with asthma on a college campus by being intentional and expressing their emotions through the photographs.Table 1. Additional codes and themes that emerged from analysis of the data.ExpectedSurprisingUnusualOver 3,400 students on campus with an asthma diagnosisThe numerous steps and walkways to climb around campus that present a barrier to students with asthmaLarge student health center on campus that students with asthma rarely, if ever, fully utilizeTobacco free campusPeople smoking on a "tobacco free" campus in plain view at the corner of the University libraryA church on the campus that allows students to gather on the sidewalk to smoke cigarettesThe student enrollment of respiratory care majors represents several students with an asthma diagnosisThe variety of asthma triggers affecting the students with asthma, including exhaust from buses, construction dust, grass and tree pollenRespiratory care faculty serving as a frontline resource for respiratory care students with asthma