Assessing Deaf Awareness Training: Knowledge and Attitudes of Recent Genetic Counseling Graduates

Abstract

Research suggests that when healthcare providers lack cultural competence, minority groups, including the Deaf community, are adversely affected. Although most genetic counseling programs incorporate cultural competency training into their curricula, the extent and impact of Deaf awareness training is unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess Deaf awareness training of recent graduates and its impact on knowledge of deafness and Deaf culture, and attitudes toward deaf people. Genetic counselors who graduated within the past 5 years were invited to participate in an anonymous, online survey. Of the 135 respondents, 26 % reported no Deaf awareness training and 51 % reported limited training (1-2 h) conducted primarily by program instructors. Nearly one-third felt their Deaf awareness training was insufficient. Respondents lacked knowledge regarding effects of cochlear implants on residual hearing, communication between deaf children and hearing parents, and working with sign language interpreters. However, scores on knowledge of deafness and Deaf culture items and scores on attitudes toward deaf people scale did not differ significantly between respondents who had Deaf awareness training and those who did not. These findings suggest that genetic counseling students may not receive adequate Deaf awareness training. Future efforts should focus on increasing Deaf awareness in genetic counseling students, and investigating whether this change improves genetic counseling experiences for Deaf individuals.

Deaf and hard of hearing awareness training: A mentor‐led workshop

“…A survey of recently graduated genetic counselors showed 77% had no, or minimal training. 6 There are few descriptions of DHH training in medical school. 7,8,9 None are recent and the wider uptake of these interventions remains unknown.…”

“…Published examples come from North America and the United Kingdom. A survey of recently graduated genetic counselors showed 77% had no, or minimal training 6 . There are few descriptions of DHH training in medical school 7,8,9 .…”

Health Disparities Among Mid-to-Older Deaf LGBTQ Adults Compared with Mid-to-Older Deaf Non-LGBTQ Adults in the United States

“…Providers who lack or rate low in cultural competence in working with Deaf patients may further perpetuate community and individual histories of inadequate care and poor treatment adherence. 9,10 In a 2017 smoking and lung disease study of 188 Deaf adults aged 55 to 80 years, Deaf patients who did not experience accessible communication with their doctors were significantly less likely to ask about lung cancer screening testing compared with Deaf patients who used ASL or other sign language interpreters to communicate with their health care providers. 6 However, in another national study of nearly 300 LGBTQ-identified Deaf adults, the presence of a sign language interpreter in the room did not appear to increase patients' disclosure of their marginalized sexual orientation and/or gender identities (SOGIs) to health care providers.…”

Sign Language in Brazilian Pharmacy Education

“…[7][8][9] In practice, studies have highlighted that healthcare pro-fessionals, such as pharmacists and pharmacy students, have low knowledge about deafness and deaf culture. [10][11][12] Consequently, patients' low health literacy, along with with pharmacists' inadequate communication skills and lack of training, can cause problems with pharmacotherapy and result in negative healthcare outcomes. [13][14][15] According to Mathews and colleagues, the challenges of pharmaceutical communication with deaf patients goes beyond the difficulty of understanding these patients' needs and the challenge of learning basic skills in sign language.…”