Qualitative Systematic Literature Review: Participatory Visual Methods in Community Health Interventions With Migrants

Abstract

This systematic review investigates how participatory visual methods (PVMs) (1) are applied in community health interventions (CHIs) with adult migrant populations and (2) identify potentials for participation. The search was performed in PubMed in 2021 and 2023. Eighteen articles fulfilled inclusion criteria as they investigated a CHI targeting migrants and used a visual method. We excluded articles that used quantitative methods, articles written in languages other than English, Danish, Swedish, or Norwegian, and the formats reviews, protocols, and theoretical articles. As a framework to graduate the degree of participation, we applied Arnstein’s ‘A Ladder of Citizen Participation’. Most of the studies took place in the United States, and the most frequent method used was photovoice. We categorize an equal number of articles as ‘degrees of citizen power’ or ‘degrees of tokenism’. We identify the capacity to accommodate the needs of specific target groups to be a strength in PVMs, which has potential to engage migrants in several parts of the research process. Additionally, PVMs can be used to support a change in the participants’ lives by facilitating a reflexive process concerning their life situation. However, utilization of PVMs also include a risk of tensions, they can be resource-demanding and potentially exclude certain groups.