The world’s first large scale study of the health of Deaf people, compared with the hearing population, has been published in two medical journals today.
BMJ Open and the BJGP (British Journal of General Practice) both carry the results of the research. It revealed shocking inequality in treatment, which means that some Deaf people are at risk of reduced life expectancy.
The papers show that Deaf people are twice as likely to have undiagnosed high blood pressure as the rest of the population. In cases where they have been diagnosed, it’s three times more likely that their treatment isn’t working.
More than half of Deaf people with heart disease aren’t being treated properly, and the same is true of diabetes. Deaf people with high cholesterol are half as likely as hearing people to be on medication to bring it under control.
The causes include a lack of interpreters at consultations, inadequate booking procedures, and almost non-existent health information in sign language. Poor communication is leading to missed diagnoses and ineffective treatment.
“This is unintentional neglect, likely to lead to shortened lives”, says Steve Powell, Chief Executive of the Deaf Health Charity SignHealth. “A basic lack of knowledge on the part of health professionals is leaving a vulnerable community with inadequate healthcare”.
Health economists have estimated that the poor diagnosis and treatment are costing the NHS £30 million a year. SignHealth have suggested simple measures which professionals can adopt easily, to improve health outcomes, and save money.
The findings have influenced the forthcoming NHS Accessible Information Standard, which is designed to improve access and communication for patients who currently face difficulties with healthcare.
The research was commissioned by SignHealth, carried out by the University of Bristol, funded by a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.
You can read the BMJ Open paper here: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e006668.full
The BJGP paper can be read here: http://bjgp.org/content/65/631/95
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: what support is available for deaf students?
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- BID: Deaf services, including advice and support, interpreting, employment and letters
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
Jemina Napier
January 26, 2015
These findings are similar to those in our Australian study of deaf sign language users’ access to preventative and ongoing healthcare information: http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/december/auslan-english-literacy/
Cathy
January 27, 2015
This is a very important and interesting study. There is indeed little, if any, health information in sign language, but we cannot blame hearing professionals for that, because they do not know sign language!
Deaf organisations and deaf clubs should really be stepping up to the plate here! Health forums could be created online and deaf people could have question n answer sessions via webcam. It is not rocket science to do that, so why havent these organisations done anything like this yet?!
The new Deaf Opinions on FB is the place deaf people are now linking up and they send in videos linked to all kinds of problems, including health. It is absolutely brilliant, but none of us are Doctors, so we can only give advice or suggestions and I think this is a great support system for the deaf community!
Even so, we should not have to resort to such half measures that hearing people are not subjected to, even though it has to be said that health outcomes are worsening for ALL of us due to the unprecendented pressures our NHS is now under. This only serves to make deaf lives even more disadvantageous!!
On top of the inherent problems within society is not least the isolation deaf people experience, which increases mental health issues, this undoubtedly means that deaf people are less likely to venture to their GP for help, which is the first port of call for most of us.
The main issue then becomes one of depression and can often result in becoming alcoholic or a heavy smoker or both! We must therefore treat the ongoing problems deaf people have in Society that will ensure they do not become dependent on either drink or drugs. Its far too late once they are even a quarter of the way down this path! The way back would be like climbing Kilimanjaro!!
I know 3 deaf men whose lives were cut well short in their early 60s not because of lack of interpreters, booking problems or no information in sign language, but because of drink n smoking. Not one jot of sign language, booking form or a million interpreters would have saved them!!!!
Lana
January 27, 2015
My partner had been visiting his GP in Croydon for many years but was given pills to lower his blood pressure.. then he moved to Rustington.. within 3 months he was sent to the hospital to have a quadruple heart bypass with an interpreter supporting all the way. Thanks to Brighton/Worthing hospitals and his GP too. There is no doubt in our minds that if he remained in Croydon, he would eventually have a heart attack or stroke whatever.
n
January 27, 2015
I’m really not surprised by this. I am a diabetic, and recently moved surgery. I had some diabetic tests done and the net result of that is that the doctor wanted to put me on some new medication. There was no discussion of that medication. When I attempted to ask questions about it, about my results, to understand what was going on, I was cut short and shown the door. And I speak and lipread well! There is no doubt in my mind that she thought of me as being deaf and stupid. I have put in a complaint about her, and will be bringing print outs of both of these to the attention of the surgery manager to highlight the results of her discrimination towards me. Thank you for posting these.
SignHealth
January 27, 2015
Hi everyone, thanks for your feedback on our Deaf health study. We are working really hard to make BSL health clips. Have a look here, we have made BSL health clips about the body (like Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Ebola) and the mind/mental health (depression, anxiety, OCD) and First Aid. We are working with different charities and the NHS to make more. We want every health topic to have information in BSL!! http://www.signhealth.org.uk/health-information/health-advice/