2183.0 Healthcare empowerment and relations for the deaf: A qualitative evaluation of healthcare provider’s communication methods, interpreting services, and health literacy in deaf and hard of hearing populations
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for People with Disabilities
Program: Public Health Education and Health Promotion
Time: 4:30 - 6:00 PM
Presenter:
James Lawrence, MPH '24
Abstract
Approximately 500,000 individuals in the United States use American Sign Language as a primary method of communication, presenting an opportunity to examine the interaction between nonverbal methods of communication and relationships formed with medical providers, as well as adherence to recommendations, prescriptions, follow-up, and understanding of these patients’ chronic conditions. Additionally, as the American education system has evolved to attempt to accommodate persons with hearing impairments, individuals who experienced a lack of congruent education in the absence of these accommodations, i.e., persons born after 1957 for the purposes of this study, describe varying levels of English language fluency in addition to their knowledge of written English. In this study, qualitative interviews will be conducted following a survey of demographic factors, including age, education level, and self-reported proficiency in English (spoken and written) and used to assess how the experiences of PSLs might inform healthcare communication practices. Qualitative coding will be utilized to categorize participant responses and regression analysis will be conducted to estimate relationships between demographic factors and our outcomes of interest. It is anticipated that significant variance will be observed as a result of these factors. As a language that is primarily communicated by means other than writing, persons who primarily utilize American Sign Language (PSLs) represent a growing proportion of the population that will experience an increase in chronic conditions as a function of aging, and thus present a cohort that may benefit from bolstered ASL interpreting access during visits with healthcare providers.