Commentary on “Perceptions of Health Among Immigrant Latino Adolescents From Mexico”

Abstract

arcia, Duckett, Saewyc, and Bearinger’s (2007)study of perceptions of health by Latino adoles-cents from Mexico employs a method of data collec-tion not often used—photography. Through it, theauthors were able to capture aspects of their partici-pants’perceptions of health that would probably havegone unnoticed if only verbal data collection methodshad been used. The authors are commended for theirinsight and vision into the possibilities that photogra-phy created. Photographs made accessible deepermeanings of health.Photographs shared during the second interviewsshowed how the environment influences participants’perceptions of health, both positively and negatively.This finding is consistent with disciplines such asecopsychology and human geography (therapeuticlandscapes) that nursing could draw on more fre-quently. In each arena, the environmental impacton health and our perception of health is meaningfuland important in that it shows how our relationshipwith the environment immediately and directly affectshealth.Findings from Garcia et al. (2007) illuminate theimportance of family and relationships to Latinoadolescents from Mexico that could be exploited. Forexample, because we know that Latino adolescentsfrom Mexico highly regard information gained fromparents and peers, more so than teachers (althoughteachers were present as knowledge disseminators),nurses can spend more time educating parents who canthen educate their adolescent children. Alternatively,nurses can educate adolescents not only for their ownpersonal knowledge but also to function as peer sup-porters or advisers. Because the family and peerinfluence are greater than teachers’ and health careproviders’, educating family and peers could affectthe health of adolescents.