Photovoice Insights on Successive Disaster Events in Marginalized Communities

Abstract Book of the 6th World Conference on Climate Change and Global Warming

Year: 2025

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Photovoice Insights on Successive Disaster Events in Marginalized Communities

Omolola Adepoju, Laura A. De La Roche, Quenette L. Walton, Carlos G. Fuentes, Doris Brown

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: While natural disasters affect all communities, research shows that racial-minority communities are often disproportionately impacted. These communities often lose power first and regain it last, and face limited access to essential resources such as healthcare, safe housing, and critical information needed to navigate response and recovery efforts. Given the increasing frequency of natural disasters, the importance of hearing from those affected is paramount to efficacious preparedness and recovery efforts. Using photovoice techniques that allow community residents to visually and verbally tell their stories, this study assessed the lived experiences of Greater Houston residents through successive disaster events.
Methods: Residents from historically underserved communities in Houston were invited to participate in a photovoice study on their experiences with recent disaster events. One hundred and thirty five community members participated in initial town-hall style discussions on their lived experiences through Hurricane Harvey (2017), Labor Day floods (2018), Tropical Storm Imelda (2019), Winter Storm Uri (2021), Tropical Storm Imelda (2023) and Hurricane Beryl (2024). Of these participants, 19 subsequently submitted photos and 12 engaged in follow-up virtual focus groups discussions between March 2025 and May 2025 to provide context for the images they submitted. Three qualitative researchers used a semi-structured interview protocol and incorporated participant-submitted photographs as visual prompts to elicit narratives, stimulate reflection, and deepen exploration of key themes during the discussions. The focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Reflexivity, triangulation, negative case analysis, and persistent observation were employed to ensure trustworthiness of the findings.
Results: The data coalesced around three primary themes. Theme 1, surviving successive disasters, described acute physical and mental health challenges of enduring repeated natural disasters and how limited access to primary care exacerbated these struggles. For those living in underserved areas—particularly food and medical deserts—accessing immediate essential supplies became even more difficult, compounding health impacts and hindering recovery. Theme 2: Aftermath and Ongoing Impact, shifted to long-term concerns following disasters, including psychological and physical trauma that worsened due to systemic socio-economic barriers. Participants emphasized the critical role of accessible community-based mental health resources in mitigating psychological distress, while noting that such resources were often unavailable. Many faced financial obstacles to repairing property damage which were exacerbated by denied insurance claims. Lastly, theme 3, accountability and community resilience, captured participants’ frustration with the perceived limited participation from federal and state government agencies, underscoring the need for greater accountability from public agencies. Despite limited external support, strong community ties played a critical role in both preparation and recovery.
Implications: These findings highlight the need for place-based disaster policies that invest in local infrastructure, healthcare, and access to essential services, especially in marginalized communities. Furthermore, the cyclical interplay between mental health and an individual’s ability to prepare for and recover from natural disasters underscores the need for community mental health initiatives that are both affordable and accessible. Supporting grassroots networks and addressing systemic barriers are critical to building equitable, long-term recovery in underserved communities.

Keywords: Climate Change, Mental Health, Photovoice