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Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) people report ineffective healthcare communication. Limited research has been conducted on healthcare communication during pregnancy. This study's aim was to assess communication accommodations and experiences during pregnancy for DHH people. An accessible web-based survey was administered to a non-probability sample of DHH people through national organizations, social media, and snowball sampling. Eligibility criteria included being 21 years or older; given birth in the U.S. within the past 10 years, report hearing loss prior to the most recent birth. Questions focused on healthcare experiences and information access during their last pregnancy. The sample included 583 respondents for the present analysis. We describe the communication accommodations requested and received during pregnancy, segmented by preferred language. Most DHH participants reported communication with prenatal clinicians as "good" or "very good". On-site interpreter services were most commonly requested by American Sign Language (ASL) only and bilingual DHH people. Interpersonal communication modification requests (e.g., speaking louder) were rarely obliged. This study is the first national examination of requested and received communication accommodations for DHH patients during the perinatal period. Healthcare providers should work closely with patients to ensure effective communication access is provided. • Accessible healthcare communication for DHH patients is protected by federal law. • DHH patients request a variety of accommodations during perinatal care. • Healthcare providers must work with patients to develop communication access plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at a significantly increased risk of experiencing maltreatment and abuse. Child maltreatment prevention education programs are effective at improving safety of children and youth, generally. The goal of this study was to understand challenges, benefits, and important considerations of developing an IDD-tailored prevention program. In total, we recruited 21 professionals and parents who have experience with a child with IDD from New York, Indiana, and Florida. Participants were segmented into three focus groups, which were conducted through web-based videoconferencing. Focus groups were moderated by experts in child maltreatment prevention and recorded for data collection. Recordings were transcribed and subsequently coded using a qualitative content analysis approach. The analysis identified several challenges to implementing child maltreatment prevention to students with IDD and pedagogical strategies to overcome those, such as the use of visuals, standardized vocabulary, and relatable examples. Benefits of a prevention program were also mentioned, including feelings of empowerment that can be cultivated by providing opportunities where children with IDD practice being assertive. Considerations for program developers and staff were discussed to ensure that prevention programs are easily adaptable to suit the needs of students with IDD across the continuum. Previous research has indicated an unmet need for child maltreatment programs among children with IDD. Implementation of an IDD-tailored program must be preceded by gaining invaluable insight from professionals and parents. Findings provide insight into implementation challenges and methods to inform prevention programs. • Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at risk of maltreatment. • Challenges to delivering prevention education related to the unique presentation of disability • Specific pedagogical methods can be used to improve delivery of prevention education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]