In a study of low-income, urban youth in the US, researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that students exposed to Photovoice, an educational intervention, experienced greater improvements in STEM-capacity scores and environmental awareness scores compared to a group of youth who were not exposed to the activity.

The results of the study were published in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods. The results suggest that the Photovoice activities may be associated with improved learning outcomes.

Photovoice uses community members' knowledge and perspective to address knowledge gaps in academia, research, and policy-making by engaging the participants through taking photos on a given topic in combination with narrative discussions in a focus group setting.

Researchers believe focused-based environmental education is a potential answer to halt or slow human-driven climate change, biodiversity loss, overuse of natural resources, environmental health disparities, deforestation, and other human-caused environmental issues.

Photovoice may be an effective leadership development tool for youth, as it demonstrates to youth that their opinions and views can lead to change.