How might we better understand homeless Veterans' perspectives of health and health care? VA Pittsburgh, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion; Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT)
CHALLENGE
Research on understanding homeless Veterans' perspectives and experiences are limited to traditional methods, such as administrative data analysis or surveys. These quantitative-oriented methods are useful for describing outcomes and the bigger picture, but are unable to report on lived experiences.
ROLES
Lead project investigator; Qualitative researcher
RESPONSIBILITIES
Study design; Submitting to IRB for human subjects research approval; Preparing study documents including research screening scripts and research interviews; Interviewing research participants; Assisting with analysis and writing manuscripts; Presenting study design in local conferences
PROCESS
Homeless Veterans Opinions of Integrated Care Environments, or "H-VOICE" received pilot grant funding to conduct a qualitative, participatory photography project with Veterans receiving homeless services to better understand perceptions of health and health care. Veterans were recruited from an integrated care clinic within the VA hospital where they received services for housing as well as physical and behavioral health including addiction medicine. Veterans participated in the project by taking pictures about what health and well-being means to them, what gets in the way versus what helps. The pictures were then used to complete an individual interview to explore thoughts, emotions, and interpretations to the photographs. Often times the photographs represented something metaphorical. Another photography session was completed where Veterans had opportunity to take picture about quality of care, and what good care looks like to them, the facilitators as well as the barriers that get in the way of accessing health care services.