One Health Research Group, Universidad de las Américas, Quito, 170137, Ecuador.
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, 170136, Ecuador.
Disabil Health J. 2024 Jul;17(3):101622. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101622. Epub 2024 Apr 3.
Approximately 80% of Deaf individuals live in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems often overlook their specific needs. This communication gap can result in misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, impacting their overall satisfaction with healthcare services.
This study aims to uncover barriers to healthcare access and preferences among the Deaf population in Ecuador, and the role of communication barriers in shaping satisfaction levels with healthcare services.
The study gathered data from 386 participants through online surveys, focusing on demographic characteristics, healthcare experiences, communication methods, and levels of satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and association analyses were employed to analyze the data.
The study reveals that nearly all participants possessed an officially recognized disability (95.9%) and 53.9% reported hereditary deafness. Ecuadorian sign language was predominant (60.9%). Communication barriers were evident, with 65.0% having trouble understanding medical instructions, and 66.6% identifying a deficiency of tools for Deaf individuals in healthcare settings. Satisfaction levels were associated with the presence of interpreters during medical care, with 46.6% expressing a preference for interpreters over other communication methods. Additionally, private healthcare facilities were perceived as providing better services, despite being less frequently accessed (38.9%). Dissatisfaction was evident, particularly in aspects of communication and physician courtesy.
This study underscores the importance of tailoring healthcare services to address the unique needs of the Deaf population. Communication barriers emerged as a central obstacle, necessitating the inclusion of sign language interpreters and improvement of resources. The study's implications extend to healthcare equity in developing nations, emphasizing the significance of patient-centered care and inclusive healthcare practices.
大约 80%的聋人生活在中低收入国家，这些国家的卫生系统往往忽视他们的特殊需求。这种沟通障碍可能导致误诊和不适当的治疗，影响他们对医疗保健服务的整体满意度。
本研究旨在揭示厄瓜多尔聋人获得医疗保健的障碍和偏好，以及沟通障碍在塑造他们对医疗保健服务满意度方面的作用。
该研究通过在线调查收集了 386 名参与者的数据，重点关注人口统计学特征、医疗保健经验、沟通方式和满意度。采用描述性统计和关联分析来分析数据。
研究表明，几乎所有参与者都拥有官方认可的残疾（95.9%），其中 53.9%的人报告有遗传性耳聋。厄瓜多尔手语是主要的交流方式（60.9%）。沟通障碍明显，有 65.0%的人在理解医疗指示方面有困难，有 66.6%的人认为医疗环境中缺乏聋人专用工具。满意度与医疗保健过程中是否有口译员有关，有 46.6%的人表示更喜欢口译员而不是其他沟通方式。此外，私立医疗机构被认为提供更好的服务，尽管就诊频率较低（38.9%）。不满主要集中在沟通和医生礼貌方面。
本研究强调了为聋人量身定制医疗服务以满足其独特需求的重要性。沟通障碍是一个核心障碍，需要包括手语翻译并改善资源。该研究的意义延伸到发展中国家的医疗保健公平性，强调了以患者为中心的护理和包容性医疗保健实践的重要性。
