Photovoice
This part of my portfolio shows an image and what the specific image meant to me in the context of culture and health.
Photovoice 1: Your Culture
This is a photo of me dancing with my parents at my cousin's Quinceañera. I thinks this image really speaks to my culture because it emphasizes the importance of family and family gatherings that is present in Cuban culture. A Quinceañera is a big party thrown when a girl turns 15 to represent her transition from girlhood into womanhood. It is a big family celebration with lots of music, food, and dancing. This image represents the emphasis of family in hispanic culture as well as how celebration is heavily centered on family.
Photovoice 2: Cultural Varience
This is an image from my previous trip to Paris, France in 2016. Atop the eiffel tower, I found these "I love Paris" condoms for sale. To me, this image represents how people in Paris generally have more sex positive cultural views, wherein sex can be openly discussed rather than regarded as taboo. In contrast, you would probably never see these condoms for sale at the Statue of Liberty. This shows a perfect example of cultural variance reading views towards sex and sexuality.
Photovoice 3: Health in London
This is an image of a local smoke shop in London that states "Stop Smoking. Start Vaping." This image image shows how smoking is very prevalent in London. However, vaping is becoming increasingly popular as people are trying to better their health and quit smoking. However, at the pharmacy/drug store I saw that there are different toothpaste for smokers and non smokers, showing that people in London attempt to improve their health and engage in risk redirection despite the popularity of cigarette smoking, which is particularly difficult since smoking is deeply tied with European culture. In contrast, there are bicycles outside of the store which speaks to the prevalence of cardiovascular activity like walking and biking as opposed to relying on cars and taxis, which direclty increases the cardiovasualr helaht of the general popualtion.
Photovoice 4: Health Protection Item
This is a sign found in the women’s restroom in St. Paul’s cathedral that lists out multiple phone hotlines available to contact for support and advice for various issues including victims of domestic violence, those in the LGBTQ+ community, and those suffering with alcohol and narcotic abuse. I found it really interesting that a sign with these types of resources would be included not just in any church, but in the iconic Saint Pauls cathedral. In the United States, we typically associate Christianity with being conservative and non-excepting of certain communities such as the LGBTQ community. However, I think it is a really powerful representation that such an iconic place of worship is being inclusive of these individuals that may at times feel out out casted from society. For many, attending church allows them to improve their mental and spiritual health. However, places of worship ship such as Saint Pauls cathedral are adding an additional layer of health protection by including resources and hotlines for at risk communities such as LGBTQ individuals, victims of abuse, those struggling with mental health disorders, and those struggling with alcohol or narcotic addiction. This is reflective of a more inclusive and health conscientious intuitive within society and within organized religion. I think that sends an extremely powerful message regarding religion and health.
Photovoice 5: Diversity
This is a sign from the Borough Market that says “Proud to be a market for everyone” with a combination LGBTQ+ flag as the background. To me, this image represents the culture of diversity and acceptance. I have noticed a lot of LGBTQ+ representation around London. I visited a bookstore called “Gay’s the Word” that sells queer fiction and non fiction novels. I have seen a lot of signage displaying the LGBTQ+ flag on posters on the street and in the underground. I saw a LGBTQ+ flag flying high today at the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. In the United States, there tends to be a lot of controversy surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, particularly by conservative politicians. It’s interesting to me how someone’s identity can be seen as so controversial in the United States, whereas in London, it is seen as a part of someone’s culture and is embraced. I have seen multiple posters in the underground that say “we won’t tolerate hate crimes”. I think this is a really wonderful thing that the city itself has taken such a prominent stand regarding the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. This reflects the diversity in the London population, not just in race and ethnicity but also in sexuality and gender identity.
Photovoice 6: Healing
This image shows a written white board sign on the tube displaying a motivational message for travelers. To me, this image represents another side of healing. Having a universal healthcare system allows for Londoners to receive free healthcare, which makes it more likely for patients to rely on traditional modern medical care such as prescribed medications to aid in their healing. However, there is also the extremely important impact that community support can have on healing. Because so many people in London rely on the tube, having a positive and supportive message put out like this I think can have a really emotionally healing effect on a wide audience of people. Seeing this message of love and support first thing in the morning or after a stressful day at work can allow people to feel feel supported by their community and decrease stress. This is similar to how spiritual interventions such as church can be healing, since it provides an aspect of community support. As discussed in lecture, having community support as opposed to having a more individualistic outlook can lead to a more positive healing journey.
Photovoice 7: Modern Healthcare
This image shows a pharmacy in Paris. I have noticed that there are many pharmacies in Paris. Walking around in the immediate area of the hotel, I passed by serval. I see them practically on every corner. Unlike the United States, the pharmacies here are true pharmacies that almost exclusively sell medication. Although they do sell some things like lotions, soaps, and creams they primarily are for medication. In the United States, we tend to associate pharmacies with convince stores such as Walgreens and CVS where you can get a wide variety of essentials including food and drink. Another interesting thing I have noticed about Parisian pharmacies is that they have a lot of medication behind the counter, much more so than in the United States. In the United States we do this primarily to prevent theft, but in Paris it seems more so to encourage people to actually speak to the pharmacist and get the best medication possible in order to best alleviate their symptoms. Lastly, I have noticed that pharmacists here never sell cigarettes despite the popularity of smoking in Paris. This makes sense, as cigarettes are unhealthy and non medical and therefore have no place in a pharmacy. Despite this, we are used to seeing tobacco products for sale in places such as Walgreens in the United States.
Photovoice 8: Health Communication
This image shows a sign in the Paris metro stating “When you hear the door closing signal, do not board!” in multiple languages. To me, this image shows how because the metro is such a popular way of getting around in Europe, it also directly leads to more train related accidental injuries. Because so many people are often in a rush to get to where they need to go, they may be more likely to attempt to board the train even as doors begin to close, thus leading to more possibility for injury. The Paris metro often uses this animated bunny character for these types of warning signs. This is beneficial because it can help to catch the attention of both children and adults alike. In addition, this messaging being in five different languages speaks to the cultural diversity of the people living in and visiting Paris. In the United States, we often only see translations coming in English and Spanish. This directly limits the possibility for a wide population outreach with their health communication messaging. Paris including multiple languages makes this messaging more affective and accessible, since the words of caution mean nothing if a person is unable to understand them in the first place.
Photovoice 9: Health Practices
This image show people sitting outside in a Parisian restaurant. To me, this image shows variance in health practices in Paris, France. In the United States, dinners tend to be very rushed. This is partially in part because restaurants want to get people in and out in order to serve the maximum amount of people and make the most money. However, it is also because in the culture of Americans we are generally always in a rush to get from point A to point B. In Paris, people will sit at a little dinner table for hours, just drinking, smoking, and talking, and perhaps having some snacks along the way. The experience of dining out in Paris is not as much for the need sustenance, but rather as an social experience. Although increased cigarette smoking and daily alcohol consumption biologically should deteriorate the health of Parisians, we see that statistics show they are much healthier than Americans. This may be due to Paris having one of the best medical systems, as seen by our tour of Hospital Universitaire La Pitié Salpétriere. However, I also believe it is largely because of an increased quality of life. Having a more leisurely lifestyle, having increased sociability and face to face interactions, spending more time outside, walking more, partaking regularly in behaviors that cause you joy. These are all things that Parisians due on a regular basis that may not seem like health practices, but in fact are because they can directly relate to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.