CHALLENGES DEAF PEOPLE FACE IN ACCESSING TO HEALTH SERVICE

"Deaf people’s health is poorer than that of the general population, with probable under-diagnosis and under-treatment of chronic conditions, putting them at risk of preventable ill health.”

Health care is important to everyone and every one should have equal access to quality health care. 

Discrimination in any form closes the door to equal opportunity, a fundamental right of Any citizenship and democracy itself. Culturally Deaf and hard of hearing have the right to fair and equitable treatment, to participate equally in the workplace, and to communicate fully and freely with businesses, non-profit organizations and government. It is the position of the public, private, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors be responsible for ensuring discrimination-free environments.  When qualified interpreters are not available for assignments, Deaf and hard of hearing people experience differentiated treatment that has potentially life-threatening or economic consequences (such as in medical, employment or educational contexts). 

Characteristics of Deaf culture can lead to difficulties in the delivery of healthcare. Interpersonal interactions between hearing healthcare providers and Deaf patients may be awkward if the healthcare provider does not understand the rules and behaviors of Deaf culture. For example, the provider may be perceived as impolite if they do not maintain eye contact when speaking to a Deaf person. They may be considered rude if they exclude a Deaf person from a conversation or fail to convey information that a hearing person would have, such as a knock on the door. 

Obtaining and maintaining health and quality healthcare is a critical issue for everyone in this world , but people with disabilities face additional barriers to receiving adequate healthcare. These barriers can range from physically inaccessible healthcare provider locations, to exam and diagnostic equipment that cannot be adjusted for a range of patient function, to a failure to modify office policies or practices to accommodate the communication and accommodation needs of patients with various disabilities. Furthermore although people with disabilities are among the most frequent consumers of health care, they confront myriad barriers to health care that can significantly impact their health. Deaf people and their families are a group of people who are likely to experience difficulties accessing health facts that leads to various impacts in their health in general. 

Literacy is another factor adversely affecting health care for the Deaf. Since English is a second language for many Deaf individuals and they are not able to hear the language, reading can be difficult. 

 It requires service providers to make reasonable, proactive, adjustments to improve the accessibility of their services to people who are disabled. But previous research and the evidence we have heard suggest that adjustments made to accommodate people with the Deaf are reactive and being implemented in a piecemeal way.  

For a Deaf person, quality of communication is the key factor regarding the ease of access to their local hospital. Good communication options need to be available right from the start of the process, but this is not always the case. We have identified a number of factors that inhibit good communication and therefore limit access to health services for deaf people. Thereby getting wrong medications 

There are simply not enough Sign language interpreters to ensure a consistent standard of service at health appointments.  Out of three Deaf patients in kenya who asked for an interpreter at a hospital appointment none appears.  Even among those who have an interpreter, at times they are unhappy with the service they received. This may indicate that not all interpreters at health appointments are appropriately qualified.

 Deaf communities tend to be small and geographically diverse, creating another barrier to healthcare delivery. 

Technology can be used to overcome some of these barriers, such as the use of telemedicine or online health education programs, such as the Deaf-friendly intervention program, but again how many Deaf people can afford smart phones??

Program that effectively provided health education to Deaf people should be specifically designed for Deaf people. It is possible to overcome barriers and provide quality healthcare to the Deaf. Perhaps technology—will ultimately help with some of these problems