ABSTRACT
The chapter provides practical and theoretical reflections to support the design and implementation of visual ethnographies to study health and healthcare. Visual ethnography has been used to understand participants’ lived experience with illness and health, the organisation and delivery of healthcare, and the nature and health impacts of climate change. Benefits include respectful, interdisciplinary conversations among participants, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and community members. This chapter provides (1) a model of key concepts for visual ethnography in health and healthcare, (2) an in-depth look at two photographs using the model’s lens, (3) a review of eight visual ethnography studies in health and healthcare, and (4) visualization and discussion of our proposed steps of visual ethnography in health and healthcare, from planning to translation. The selected studies illustrate four methods: photo-elicitation/photo interview, photovoice, video ethnographic filming, and graphic facilitation. The selected studies are united by their use of participatory methods, which place responsibility for visual documentation in health and healthcare with research participants and provide examples of good practices for each step. The authors encourage readers to adapt the chapter’s model and steps to their context.
