I Want to Show that there are Drunkards in our Community: Young Women’s Lived Experiences with the Alcohol Environment and Associated Harms in the Kampala Slums
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Photovoice is a qualitative research method that uses visual storytelling to explore complex issues and research questions. As part of the TOPOWA Project, it was utilized to examine environmental stressors impacting the mental health of young women aged 18 to 24 living in three urban slums in Kampala, Uganda. This method encouraged active participation, empowering young women to share their experiences and perspectives on key community challenges. By focusing on "environmental stressors" and "mental health," the project aimed to shed light on the social determinants influencing mental health and well-being. In 2022, 15 young women took part in the Photovoice project, which involved capturing photographs, participating in group discussions, analyzing themes, and engaging in a validation session to finalize the findings. Through photography, participants documented aspects of their daily lives that shaped their mental health and well-being. In this paper, we focus on a subset of the analyses reflecting photographs and discussions regarding the alcohol environment. Participants highlighted the pervasive availability and accessibility of alcohol within their communities, often noting its normalization and promotion through marketing and local social norms. The findings indicate that the alcohol environment contributes to adverse social and health outcomes, including interpersonal violence, economic strain, and neglect of family responsibilities, all of which disproportionately affect women. Furthermore, the presence of alcohol outlets and associated behaviors in public spaces creates environments that can feel unsafe and exclusionary for women, limiting their participation in community life. These insights underscore the urgent need for interventions addressing the alcohol environment to mitigate its negative impact on mental health and social equity.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS - Health Promotion and Physical Education
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Monica Swahn
Additional Faculty
Jane Palmier, jpalmier@kennesaw.edu
I Want to Show that there are Drunkards in our Community: Young Women’s Lived Experiences with the Alcohol Environment and Associated Harms in the Kampala Slums
Photovoice is a qualitative research method that uses visual storytelling to explore complex issues and research questions. As part of the TOPOWA Project, it was utilized to examine environmental stressors impacting the mental health of young women aged 18 to 24 living in three urban slums in Kampala, Uganda. This method encouraged active participation, empowering young women to share their experiences and perspectives on key community challenges. By focusing on "environmental stressors" and "mental health," the project aimed to shed light on the social determinants influencing mental health and well-being. In 2022, 15 young women took part in the Photovoice project, which involved capturing photographs, participating in group discussions, analyzing themes, and engaging in a validation session to finalize the findings. Through photography, participants documented aspects of their daily lives that shaped their mental health and well-being. In this paper, we focus on a subset of the analyses reflecting photographs and discussions regarding the alcohol environment. Participants highlighted the pervasive availability and accessibility of alcohol within their communities, often noting its normalization and promotion through marketing and local social norms. The findings indicate that the alcohol environment contributes to adverse social and health outcomes, including interpersonal violence, economic strain, and neglect of family responsibilities, all of which disproportionately affect women. Furthermore, the presence of alcohol outlets and associated behaviors in public spaces creates environments that can feel unsafe and exclusionary for women, limiting their participation in community life. These insights underscore the urgent need for interventions addressing the alcohol environment to mitigate its negative impact on mental health and social equity.