TY - JOUR AU - Kowitt, Sarah AU - Woods-Jaeger, Briana AU - Lomas, Jesse AU - Taggart, Tamara AU - Thayer, Linden AU - Sutton, Sussie PY - 2015 TI - Using Photovoice to Understand Barriers to and Facilitators of Cardiovascular Health Among African American Adults and Adolescents, North Carolina, 2011-2012 T2 - Preventing Chronic Disease JO - Prev Chronic Dis SP - E164 VL - 12 CY - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. N2 - INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and mortality rates are higher among African Americans than among people of other races/ethnicities. We aimed to understand how African American adults and adolescents conceptualize cardiovascular health and perceive related barriers and facilitators. METHODS This qualitative study was conducted as formative research for a larger study, Heart Healthy Lenoir, which aimed to reduce cardiovascular disease disparities among African Americans in eastern North Carolina, part of the widely-known "stroke belt" that runs through the southeastern United States. Using photovoice, a community-based participatory research method, we conducted eight 90-minute photovoice sessions with 6 adults and 9 adolescents in Lenoir County, North Carolina. Topics for each discussion were selected by participants and reflected themes related to cardiovascular health promotion. All sessions were transcribed and coded using a data-driven, inductive approach. RESULTS Participants conceptualized cardiovascular health to have mental, spiritual, and social health dimensions. Given these broad domains, participants acknowledged many ecological barriers to cardiovascular health; however, they also emphasized the importance of personal responsibility. Facilitators for cardiovascular health included using social health (eg, family/community relationships) and spiritual health dimensions (eg, understanding one's body and purpose) to improve health behaviors. CONCLUSION The perspectives of African American adults and adolescents elicited through this formative research provided a strong foundation for Heart Healthy Lenoir's ongoing engagement of community members in Lenoir County and development and implementation of its intervention to prevent cardiovascular disease. SN - 1545-1151 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd12.150062 DO - 10.5888/pcd12.150062 ER -