Web-Based Group Photovoice Through the Lens of Survivors of Critical Illness Recovery: Photovoice Qualitative Pilot Study

Background The broad spectrum of issues that survivors face after critical illness and the contextual factors that help or hinder remain underexplored, as do their perspectives on what is important during recovery. Photovoice methods offer a means to convey experiences through participant-generated photographs and related narratives that can extend existing notions of illness and wellness. Objective This pilot study aimed to (1) describe intensive care unit (ICU) survivor recovery after hospital discharge depicted through survivor-generated photographs and photograph discussions, (2) assess the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants in a web-based group photovoice focused on ICU recovery, and (3) describe the impact of study participation. Methods The web-based group photovoice involved 5 weekly 2-hour group discussion sessions, after which individual interviews were conducted with each participant. Photographs and transcript data from the group discussions and individual interviews were analyzed using a qualitative interpretive description approach. Results A total of 5 ICU survivors (4 women and 1 man) participated. The aspects of critical illness recovery that featured prominently included (1) protracted physical recovery; (2) profound psychosocial challenges encompassing fear of the future, emotional turmoil, shifting self-perception, changes in family dynamics, and feelings of disconnection; (3) discrepancies in health needs and support offered; and (4) need for perseverance and resilience. The web-based group photovoice was feasible, with participation characterized as an opportunity to build social connections and draw strength from fellow survivors of critical illness unavailable elsewhere. Conclusions Given the compelling insights our pilot study provided into lesser-explored aspects of critical illness recovery, along with its potential therapeutic value and ability to foster social connectedness, future research is warranted to assess the impact of a scaled-up application.