The Interaction between the Healthcare Professional and the Deaf Person. Experiences from the Colombian Healthcare System.

The present study is a qualitative study with ethnographic techniques that aimed to comprehend the healthcare experiences of deaf persons considering their family, healthcare professionals, and interpreter perspectives. The study included twenty-six deaf persons. The information was collected using semi-structured interviews and focus groups consisting of 5 patients per session (mean) that inquired about experiences and relationships between deaf persons and healthcare professionals. The study identified communication constraints between patients and professionals, preventing the establishment of interpersonal relationships, which limited the development of adequate healthcare. Therefore, it is recommended that the deaf person access an interpreter during healthcare processes to facilitate communication in healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]