Week 5 Flashcards
How common is deafness
1 in 6 of the UK population have some degree of hearing impairment = 10 million people
800000 of these are severely or profoundly deaf
Hard of hearing
6.5 million hard of hearing
6 million of these are over age 60
Often used to describe people who have lost their hearing gradually but can be mild hearing loss earlier
Up to 40dB hearing loss= quiet speech in a library
Moderately deaf
40-70dB hearing loss
60-65 dB= normal conversation at 3ft
Can use an amplified telephone
Severely deaf
71-95dB hearing loss
Phone ring tone= 80dB
City traffic inside car= 85dB
Pneumatic drill at 200ft= 95dB
profoundly deaf
Usually born deaf or become profoundly deaf in childhood
>95dB hearing ‘loss’
Power mower at 3ft= 98dB
Rock concert= 115-125dB
Jet engine at 100ft= 140dB
Some have no hearing at all
causes of deafness
Congenital
50% genetic- syndromic/ non-syndromic
Infection/injury eg rubella, CMV
Conductive malformations of the auditory tract e.g cochlear dysplasia
Ototoxic drugs e.g. gentamycin
Acquired deafness
Infection- otitis media (acute or chronic), meningitis, encephalitis, measles
Loud noise- above 90dB
Obstruction
Trauma
Drugs - gentamycin, vancomycin, aspirin
Meniere’s
Tumour
Action on hearing loss
41% left health appointment feeling confused about their medical conditions because they couldn’t understand the BSL interpreter
‘It’s imperative that sign language interpreters used by healthcare providers are fully qualified to deliver interpreting services in a healthcare setting”
Medical model of deafness
Deafness is a developmental deficiency or disease
Defect to be corrected or cured by medication, equipment, technology, surgery e.g. cochlear implant
Individuals adjustment and behavioural change would lead to an effective cure
Main aim of professionals is to teach the deaf child to speak
Deaf people/children are reminded that they are different: their speech is ‘not right’
Deaf people have responsibility to make themselves understood
‘Fit in’ with the majority
Social model of deafness
Disability is a socially created problem
Communication between deaf and hearing people is the barrier with hearing people unable to use sign language/ communicate appropriately
Isolation- family and school
Oppression and discrimination- work (pay and promotion), poor access to services
‘Society’ creates barriers through lack of awareness, attitudes and lack of accessible information for deaf people
Recognising and accepting individuals differences
Need to manipulate the social environment to improve access and participation
Cultural model of deafness
Those who use BSL as their first or preferred language see themselves are part of social cultural and linguistic minority
‘Deaf’ people do not see themselves as disabled
Shared social beliefs, behaviours, art, literary traditions, history, values and shared institutions
Not ‘experienced’ loss and have a positive attitude towards deafness
Experience of deaf population amounts to social disadvantage
In terms of its effect on mental health, deaf cultural attitudes conclude that a minority language group’s disadvantages are preferred to a lifetime of viewing ones self or ones group as infirm or disabled
Communication tactics with deaf people
Speak clearly at normal speed
Make sure minimal background noise/good light
Do talk face to face
Gain attention by tapping or waving, stamping feet
Don’t shout
Don’t cover mouth
Don’t speak too fast
Don’t assume a nod means I understand
Don’t ask do you understand
deaf education
Mainstream vs deaf schools
PHU
Oral
BSL
Total communication- blends wide variety of modalities including sign, speech, body language, writing images
Boarding
NB cultural differences in schools
Literacy
20% deaf school leavers unable to complete employment interview in either sign or speech despite having normal IQ
Avg reading age for general adult UK population= 13
Avg for profoundly deaf UK adult population= 7-8
Prevalence of mental health problems
Greater overall prevalence than hearing 40-50%
Some illnesses more prevalent due to:
-social exclusion
-life stresses
-lack of access to treatment
-poor coping mechanisms
