Visual Arts as a Form of Communication for Deaf Patients in Finland : Literature Review
Greer, Satu; Oxilia Canido, Melina (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112830872
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112830872
Tiivistelmä
The Deaf community has faced more disparities in the healthcare system compared to the hearing population. The materials available about healthcare in sign language are scarce and visual communication access is limited. These factors led to discrimination, isolation, and created a feeling of mistrust, fear, and stress. These psychosocial aspects combined led to poor outcomes in health status for this language minority group.
This thesis examined the evidence of how art therapy and visual communication were used with Deaf patients to help express feelings and improve overall experiences in healthcare settings. The aim of this thesis was to find which challenges the Deaf community encountered in healthcare settings and how visual arts could be used as a supporting tool for communication when resources were scarce. Seven (N=7) articles were included from Cinahl Ultimate, PubMed, and through a manual search done in October 2024. The data was analyzed using inductive content analysis. The partner organization of this thesis work was Kuurojen Liitto (The Finnish Association of the Deaf).
The results of this thesis demonstrated that there is a lack of cultural competence in the Deaf community, Deaf patients do not receive relevant information, interpreters are not readily available, and visual communication forms are underdeveloped in healthcare settings. The assumption that lip-reading or writing are accurate methods for communication is erroneous. Although Deaf patients have reported the use of visual aids as helpful, few studies have been created and developed on how visual arts can be used in healthcare settings for Deaf patients. This information can create cultural awareness for healthcare professionals, broaden perspectives on communication tools for Deaf patients, and be a catalyst for future developmental work.
This thesis examined the evidence of how art therapy and visual communication were used with Deaf patients to help express feelings and improve overall experiences in healthcare settings. The aim of this thesis was to find which challenges the Deaf community encountered in healthcare settings and how visual arts could be used as a supporting tool for communication when resources were scarce. Seven (N=7) articles were included from Cinahl Ultimate, PubMed, and through a manual search done in October 2024. The data was analyzed using inductive content analysis. The partner organization of this thesis work was Kuurojen Liitto (The Finnish Association of the Deaf).
The results of this thesis demonstrated that there is a lack of cultural competence in the Deaf community, Deaf patients do not receive relevant information, interpreters are not readily available, and visual communication forms are underdeveloped in healthcare settings. The assumption that lip-reading or writing are accurate methods for communication is erroneous. Although Deaf patients have reported the use of visual aids as helpful, few studies have been created and developed on how visual arts can be used in healthcare settings for Deaf patients. This information can create cultural awareness for healthcare professionals, broaden perspectives on communication tools for Deaf patients, and be a catalyst for future developmental work.