Creating inclusive and healthy communities for all: A photovoice approach with adults with mobility limitations

Abstract

This study used photovoice to document the lived experience of 30 people with mobility limitations regarding their interactions with the urban environment and how it affected their mobility, participation and health. Our analysis identified five themes: 1) En Route, 2) Thresholds, 3) Temporal Rhythms, 4) Making Change Happen and 5) The Paradox of Accessibility. Our findings emphasize how accessibility exists along a continuum, which acknowledges the agency of the people with mobility limitations to cope with environmental barriers and maintain their health. This requires an understanding of accessibility that integrates physical, psychological and social dimensions.

Keywords

• Health
• Inclusion
• Urban environment
• Disability
• Qualitative research
• Photovoice