BEST PRACTICES IN PROVIDING HEALTH CARE TO DEAF POPULATIONS

Culturally competent health care for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is significantly understudied within the United States. Limited knowledge is taught within healthcare programsfor nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and other professionalson how to bridge this existing communication barrier. Withinthe Deaf community, this has led to a couple reoccurring issues. First, lack of access to culturally competent care may make Deaf individuals may be more inclined to avoid regular appointments with a primary care provider (PCP). Delaying regular assessments, health education, and screenings can result in underlying and untreated health conditions worsening over time. Second, Deaf individuals may frequent the emergency department more often for minor issues due to both a lack of health education and education on appropriate healthcare resources. The articles examined address existing barriers to health care and current interventions focused on mitigating disparities for this population. This paper will address recommendations for the nursing profession on how to strengthen trust, improve training, and enhance communication with the Deaf population. In addition to the review of current literature, this paper will identify best-practice recommendations, a plan proposal for implementing resources and training among hospitals, and finally, a proposal to evaluate the implementation process