A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon

Objectives This study seeks to assess the situation of Lebanese deaf individuals who use sign language, explore their understanding of common pathologies and how they acquire health knowledge, identify the challenges they encounter within the healthcare system, and gather their proposed solutions fo...

وصف كامل

محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: Bouclaous, Carmel (author)
مؤلفون آخرون: Rachid, Majd (author), Echtay, Leen (author), Abdallah, Racha (author), Abdelrazzak, Aya (author), Chakas, Lynn (author)
التنسيق: article
منشور في: 2025
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:http://hdl.handle.net/10725/17343
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105830
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625002768
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author Bouclaous, Carmel
author2 Rachid, Majd
Echtay, Leen
Abdallah, Racha
Abdelrazzak, Aya
Chakas, Lynn
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author_facet Bouclaous, Carmel
Rachid, Majd
Echtay, Leen
Abdallah, Racha
Abdelrazzak, Aya
Chakas, Lynn
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Bouclaous, Carmel
Rachid, Majd
Echtay, Leen
Abdallah, Racha
Abdelrazzak, Aya
Chakas, Lynn
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-10-08T09:23:54Z
2025-10-08T09:23:54Z
2025
2025-09
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 0033-3506
http://hdl.handle.net/10725/17343
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105830
Bouclaous, C., Rachid, M., Echtay, L., Abdallah, R., Abdelrazzak, A., & Chakas, L. (2025). A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon. Public Health, 246, 105830.
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625002768
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Public Health
dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description Objectives This study seeks to assess the situation of Lebanese deaf individuals who use sign language, explore their understanding of common pathologies and how they acquire health knowledge, identify the challenges they encounter within the healthcare system, and gather their proposed solutions for improving health communication and services. Study design Focus group design. Methods A focus group of 10 deaf individuals was conducted. The discussions were facilitated by the research team, with a Lebanese sign language interpreter present to provide real-time translation and ensure meaningful and inclusive dialogue. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded. Results Findings revealed significant challenges pertaining to health literacy, patient-physician communication, limited access to sign language interpreters in healthcare settings, inadequate health information in accessible formats, difficulty in navigating the healthcare system, and lack of awareness among healthcare providers about the needs of the deaf community, leading to impaired autonomy and lack of trust. Conclusions Potential solutions include enhancing the accessibility of health information and patient-physician communication, especially through sign language interpretation, implementing logistical accommodations to facilitate navigation through the healthcare system, such as extended appointments, text-based booking systems, and virtual tours. Additionally, updating governmental policies and insurance guidelines, and incorporating cultural sensitivity training into medical education and practice, can significantly improve their experience. Government initiatives involving the deaf civil community must be implemented to address the structural and cultural barriers to accessible and equitable healthcare.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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id LAURepo_80f195e3fa6d1069451bb14f855d3181
identifier_str_mv 0033-3506
Bouclaous, C., Rachid, M., Echtay, L., Abdallah, R., Abdelrazzak, A., & Chakas, L. (2025). A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon. Public Health, 246, 105830.
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str LAURepo
network_name_str Lebanese American University repository
oai_identifier_str oai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/17343
publishDate 2025
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
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spelling A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in LebanonBouclaous, CarmelRachid, MajdEchtay, LeenAbdallah, RachaAbdelrazzak, AyaChakas, LynnObjectives This study seeks to assess the situation of Lebanese deaf individuals who use sign language, explore their understanding of common pathologies and how they acquire health knowledge, identify the challenges they encounter within the healthcare system, and gather their proposed solutions for improving health communication and services. Study design Focus group design. Methods A focus group of 10 deaf individuals was conducted. The discussions were facilitated by the research team, with a Lebanese sign language interpreter present to provide real-time translation and ensure meaningful and inclusive dialogue. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded. Results Findings revealed significant challenges pertaining to health literacy, patient-physician communication, limited access to sign language interpreters in healthcare settings, inadequate health information in accessible formats, difficulty in navigating the healthcare system, and lack of awareness among healthcare providers about the needs of the deaf community, leading to impaired autonomy and lack of trust. Conclusions Potential solutions include enhancing the accessibility of health information and patient-physician communication, especially through sign language interpretation, implementing logistical accommodations to facilitate navigation through the healthcare system, such as extended appointments, text-based booking systems, and virtual tours. Additionally, updating governmental policies and insurance guidelines, and incorporating cultural sensitivity training into medical education and practice, can significantly improve their experience. Government initiatives involving the deaf civil community must be implemented to address the structural and cultural barriers to accessible and equitable healthcare.Published2025-10-08T09:23:54Z2025-10-08T09:23:54Z20252025-09Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article0033-3506http://hdl.handle.net/10725/17343https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105830Bouclaous, C., Rachid, M., Echtay, L., Abdallah, R., Abdelrazzak, A., & Chakas, L. (2025). A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon. Public Health, 246, 105830.http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.phphttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625002768enPublic Healthinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/173432025-10-08T09:23:54Z
spellingShingle A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
Bouclaous, Carmel
status_str publishedVersion
title A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
title_full A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
title_fullStr A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
title_full_unstemmed A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
title_short A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
title_sort A qualitative study on deaf individuals’ access to health knowledge and services in Lebanon
url http://hdl.handle.net/10725/17343
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105830
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625002768