Journal article
Stories for Us, or for Others: Digital Storytelling with a Harm Reduction Organization as Culture-Centered Health Communication
Health communication, Vol.40(8), pp.1465-1478
07/03/2025
DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2405767
PMID: 39363427
Abstract
Digital storytelling is a participatory media creation process. To illustrate how digital storytelling may be used as a method within the culture-centered approach to health communication, this paper presents a case study analysis of two 2-day digital storytelling workshops in collaboration with a local harm reduction organization that supports people who use drugs. Storytellers used the communicative space of digital storytelling to confront stigmatizing cultural and institutional narratives related to substance use. Storytellers also demonstrated how harm reduction work engendered a sense of purpose and an alternative to punitive drug policies. However, storytellers felt that stories produced for the harm reduction community could be misunderstood by outsiders, limiting the potential of the stories for advocacy communication. Overall, we find that digital storytelling as a method within the culture-centered approach has potential to elevate the experiences, understanding, expertise, and goals of communities that have been excluded from health communication. The digital storytelling method will have the most value as a critical narrative intervention if the principles and reflexivity of the culture-centered approach are foundational to the process.Digital storytelling is a participatory media creation process. To illustrate how digital storytelling may be used as a method within the culture-centered approach to health communication, this paper presents a case study analysis of two 2-day digital storytelling workshops in collaboration with a local harm reduction organization that supports people who use drugs. Storytellers used the communicative space of digital storytelling to confront stigmatizing cultural and institutional narratives related to substance use. Storytellers also demonstrated how harm reduction work engendered a sense of purpose and an alternative to punitive drug policies. However, storytellers felt that stories produced for the harm reduction community could be misunderstood by outsiders, limiting the potential of the stories for advocacy communication. Overall, we find that digital storytelling as a method within the culture-centered approach has potential to elevate the experiences, understanding, expertise, and goals of communities that have been excluded from health communication. The digital storytelling method will have the most value as a critical narrative intervention if the principles and reflexivity of the culture-centered approach are foundational to the process.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Stories for Us, or for Others: Digital Storytelling with a Harm Reduction Organization as Culture-Centered Health Communication
- Creators
- Rachel Young - University of IowaDominic Dongilli - University of IowaAbigail Souder - University of IowaCorinne Peek-Asa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Health communication, Vol.40(8), pp.1465-1478
- DOI
- 10.1080/10410236.2024.2405767
- PMID
- 39363427
- NLM abbreviation
- Health Commun
- ISSN
- 1532-7027
- eISSN
- 1532-7027
- Publisher
- ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
- Grant note
The project was funded in part by a Community Impact Grant from the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 10/03/2024
- Date published
- 07/03/2025
- Academic Unit
- Occupational and Environmental Health; Office Of The Provost; Injury Prevention Research Center; School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Record Identifier
- 9984721236302771
Metrics
66 Record Views