[9] These narratives are used to promote dialogue to mobilize and help policymakers better understand and change the community, thereby developing and enhancing effective solutions and programs that address the issues and needs.
[9][10] Photovoice was developed in 1992 by Caroline C. Wang of the University of Michigan, and Mary Ann Burris, Program Officer for Women's Health at the Ford Foundation headquartered in Beijing, China.
[4] In addition, photovoice was strongly influenced by documentary photography, the concept of empowerment, feminist theory, and Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed to promote health education and his idea of critical consciousness.
[13][14] Since then, the method has been used in different settings and populations, such as by refugees in San Diego seeking in–person medical interpretation options, by homeless adults in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Claudia Mitchell to support community health workers and teachers in rural South Africa, and by Laura S. Lorenz of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University in her work with brain injury survivors.
[18] The aim of this understanding is to inform and create appropriate interventions and actions regarding complex problems including, but not limited to, health and wellbeing, social inequality, and socio-economic disparity.
[20] Photovoice has also been used as a tool to engage children and youth, giving them a safe environment and opportunity to communicate concerns and coping strategies to policymakers and service providers.
[28] This can help inform the outside agency about the process, true impacts (what is/isn't working and why), and complex reality,[27] thus accompany wider and deeper research and analysis to improve the development progress.