Recorded presentation

Barbara Giloth, DrPH, CHES¹, Toby Perlman, PhD², Helen Margellos, MPH³, Linda Miller⁴, Teri Hedding⁴, and Dorthea DeGutis, MD². (1) Advocate Charitable Foundation, 205 West Touhy Suite 125, Park Ridge, IL 60068, 847/384-3410, barbara.giloth@advocatehealth.com, (2) Behavioral Health Services, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, 938 West Nelson, Chicago, IL 60657, (3) Sinai Health System, Sinai Urban Health Institute, California at 15th Street, K450, Chicago, IL 60608, (4) Care Management, Sinai Health System, California at 15th Street, Chicago, IL 60608

Advocate Health Care and Sinai Health System, two health systems serving the metropolitan Chicago area, are collaborating to increase access to quality health and mental health care for deaf individuals. During Phase I, a sample of 203 adult deaf clients, dependant on American Sign Language (ASL) for communication, were interviewed with a standard protocol about health status, health knowledge and behaviors, communication styles and barriers to accessing health care. Previous studies suggest that deaf populations see physicians twice as often, have more bed days due to illness or injury, have more days of disability, and assess themselves to be less healthy. Given the paucity of information related to prevention among primarily prelingually deaf individuals, this new study has collected substantial data regarding knowledge of health promoting behaviors (including those related to tobacco, alcohol and drugs, exercise, nutrition, cancer, cholesterol, blood pressure, HIV/AIDS and mental health), use of these behaviors and access to preventive services. Given a diverse study population ( 29% NHB, 56% NHW, 10% Hispanic, and 6% other) that is well connected to health services, results document substantially lower levels of health knowledge than among comparable hearing populations. Follow-up focus groups clarified characteristics of effective health education interventions for deaf populations--group setting, participative learning, use of storytelling and use of a native signer as educator. The survey analysis also documented higher levels of knowledge as the number of sources increased. This presentation will focus on translating these results into effective health promotion programs for this high risk population.

Learning Objectives:

• List key differences in health knowldge and behavior between prelingually deaf and the majority population.
• Identify elements of effective prevention/health promotion programs for deaf clients especially those who depend on sign language for communication.

Keywords: Deaf, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation