Document resource
Background Young Black men (YBM) face multiple, intersecting health inequalities. Barts Health NHS Trusts’ Addressing Inequalities in Care (AIIC) programme found that two groups were most likely to miss hospital appointments; young Black men aged 18-30 and those living in deprived areas. We undertook a participatory service evaluation alongside a group of young Black male co-researchers with the aim of understanding why appointments are missed and how services could better meet their needs.Methods We developed and expanded the photovoice method with 8 young Black male co-researchers. We met roughly every two weeks across a period of 6 months. Together we co-designed ethical principles and prompts relating to their experiences of healthcare. The project generated 20 photographs, which we analysed collectively using the SHOWED photovoice technique.Results The photographs showcased a variety of experiences. During our collective analysis, we organised the images into three key themes. The first relates to healthcare communications, the second relates to experiences of health outside the hospital and in the local area, and the third explores clinical encounters and experiences of health within the hospital. We developed three service improvement recommendations inspired by the images.Conclusion We undertook a photovoice service evaluation to help understand why young Black men in East London might miss their hospital appointments, and suggested how services could better meet the needs of this group. We suggest three key service improvements: 1) improvements to communications e.g via improved text and telephone contact, 2) the routine signposting to advocacy services appropriate for young Black men to ensure that they can navigate confusing systems more easily, and 3) the promotion of trauma-informed approaches that can help healthcare staff understand the experiences of this group when they seek healthcare in East London.