244432 Task Force on Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 9:15 AM

Michael M. McKee, MD, MPH , Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Language concordance and cultural competency are key to delivering quality health care. In accordance with Healthy People 2020, increasing the numbers of health care workers from underserved and underrepresented minority populations are necessary to address the increasing diversity in our health care population. Deaf and hard of hearing communities are sorely underrepresented among our health care workforce. This leads to challenges with communication, cultural competency and advocacy for our deaf and hard of hearing individuals seeking quality health care. To address this need, an unique partnership, among several institutions (National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Gallaudet University, National Center on Deaf Health Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and Rochester General Health System) established a Task Force represented by a variety of deaf and hearing health and educational professionals from across the country. The Task Force has provided a national review paper to disseminate ideas on how to expand opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals within health care professions through increased accessibility strategies and options, the coordination and development of educational programs, and advocating for inclusive policy. We will also outline widely held perceptions among the general population that health care careers are not appropriate for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, barriers that unfairly limit educational opportunities, and the benefits of increasing the number of deaf and hard-of-hearing health care professionals to advocate and address the health care needs of people with hearing loss.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe barriers that unfairly limit educational, health care and public health opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals 2. Define widely held perceptions among the general population that public health and health care careers are not appropriate for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals 3. Formulate an advocacy strategy for an inclusive policy for both deaf and hard of hearing patients, public health and health care students and professionals 4. Describe effective strategies that can increase accessibility strategies and options including the coordination and development of health educational programs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals 5. Demonstrate the benefits of increased numbers of deaf and hard of hearing health care workers

Keywords: Public Health Education and Health Promotion, Deaf

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because of my direct clinical research and clinical care with deaf individuals, in addition to the involvement of teaching of deaf health care professionals.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.