Title
Perspectives of People Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing on Mental Health, Recovery, and Peer Support
UMMS Affiliation
Center for Health Policy and Research; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Date
11-15-2012
Document Type
Article
Medical Subject Headings
Deafness; Hearing Loss; Mental Health Services; Health Services Accessibility
Disciplines
Communication Sciences and Disorders | Health Services Research | Mental and Social Health | Public Health
Abstract
This qualitative study sought to better understand the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing individuals with accessing recovery-oriented mental health services and peer support via a focus group and interviews. Cultural brokers were used to facilitate culturally-sensitive communication with study participants. Findings indicate that access to adequate mental health services, not just recovery-oriented and peer support services, is not widely available for this population, largely due to communication barriers. Feelings of isolation and stigma are high among this population. Public mental health systems need to adapt and expand services for various cultural groups to insure recovery.
Comments
Citation: Community Ment Health J. 2012 Nov 13. Link to article on publisher's site