Authentic Voice The Use of Narrative in Public Health Research and Intervention

Authentic voice represents an adaptation of narrative approaches for use in public health settings. Authentic voice approaches utilize narratives from the target population to accomplish public health goals. Authentic refers to the first-hand experience of the narrators while voice refers to the expression of the narrative in terms understandable by the target population while maintaining the individuality of the narrator. In the first paper, a discussion of the potential of using narratives from the target population as 1) a direct intervention; 2) a form of persuasive communications; and 3) a source of information for research into various topics. The second paper examines the patient experience of acupuncture using narrative drawn from interviews with and letters from acupuncture patients using a content oriented approach. The third paper examines the importance of meaning shift over the course of acupuncture treatment.