Knowledge and experience of Family Health Team professionals in providing healthcare for deaf people

ABSTRACT Objective: to explore the communication of family health team professionals in providing healthcare for deaf people. Methods: this cross-sectional study was comprised of 39 Family Health teams located in urban and rural areas. A census was conducted and some questionnaires were applied to the Family Health Professionals (31 doctors, 30 nurses, 27 dental surgeons and 4 pharmacists) from the Family Health Support Centers. Results: the great majority of the personnel (60.8%) reported being aware of the existence of Brazilian Sign Language, but none of the interviewees had used it to communicate. Most of the Family Health Team personnel (68.5%) had provided care to a deaf person at some time. However, none of them had taken a complementary course or received any specialized training. Conclusion: the relational dimension is fundamental in developing individual therapy plans. From this perspective, the communication barriers that deaf people face can compromise the necessary bonding for healthcare, which may adversely affect early diagnosis, timely treatment, and adherence to required treatment.