Review of the Health of the Deaf

Review of the Health of the Deaf


The health of the Deaf  community is an under-researched topic. I compiled the studies I could find on the issue into a review. I hope that this site and my blog can help spotlight the health concerns and some solutions for this disadvantaged population.










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Pilgrimage of Parents of Deaf Children in Mexico City

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Over 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents, who often have a difficult time coping with this unexpected turn of events. Pfister conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 parents of children attending a school for the Deaf in Mexico City. She describes the typical process that these parents went through, which she describes as a pilgrimage: In this developing country, there is little common knowledge about deafness Most parents reported feeling devastated when they received the diagnosis that their child was Deaf, not knowing if they would ever be able to have  una plática  (chat, bonding) with their child They then typically went through a period of trying to "cure" their child through medical interventions, usually expending great effort, expenses and time with little to show for it. They often described intense hostility towards their child learning to sign from medical professionals and people in their community. Finally, they found their way to a school...
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Study of the Mental Well-Being of the English Deaf

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Difficulties in Assessing Mental Status of Deaf Patients

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Previous studies have shown that cultural differences between Deaf patients and hearing healthcare practitioners can lead to the overdiagnosis of psychotic disorders. Gawad & Helminiak present a case report of a Deaf 34-year-old man who was referred to a hospital psychiatric unit from a jail. He had had 3 prior admissions and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia each time. His rapid recovery after therapy was initiated led the authors to conclude that he was not schizophrenic but had experienced either a manic episode or the effects of substance abuse. The authors describe how the presentation of Deaf people in distress, the differences between communication in ASL versus English, and the lack of standardized and validated ASL mental assessment tools can lead to the misdiagnoses of psychotic disorders in this population. They conclude by offering advice for healthcare practitioners on assessing the mental status of Deaf patients. Gawad, N.A. & Helminiak, A. (2018). Lo...
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