Ableism, Human Rights, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Healthcare-Related Barriers Experienced by Deaf People in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Int J Environ Res Public Health

Te Kura Tapuhi Hauora-School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Practice, Wellington Faculty of Health, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.

Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected global healthcare access and exacerbated pre-pandemic structural barriers. Literature on disabled people's experiences accessing healthcare is limited, with even less framing healthcare access as a human rights issue. This study documents and critically analyses Deaf people's healthcare access experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven self-identified Deaf individuals participated in semi-structured videoconferencing interviews. Discourse analysis was applied to participant narratives with discourses juxtaposed against a human rights analysis. Barriers influencing healthcare access included: (1) the inability of healthcare providers to communicate appropriately, including a rigid adherence to face mask use; (2) cultural insensitivity and limited awareness of Deaf people's unique needs; and (3) the impact of ableist assumptions and healthcare delaying care. Barriers to healthcare access represent consecutive breaches of rights guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Such breaches delay appropriate healthcare access and risk creating future compounding effects. Action is required to address identified breaches: (1) The CRPD should also underpin all health policy and practice development, inclusive of pandemic and disaster management responsiveness. (2) Health professionals and support staff should be trained, and demonstrate competency, in Deaf cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9778721PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192417007DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

healthcare access
24
human rights
12
covid-19 pandemic
12
healthcare
9
aotearoa zealand
8
zealand covid-19
8
deaf people's
8
access
6
rights
5
deaf
5

Similar Publications

Objectives: To evaluate the implementation and sustainability of the effect of a 1-year Leadership in Education for Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program in a southeastern state, and to examine its impact on advancing the Maternal Child Health Bureau's (MCHB) Blueprint for Change-a national agenda for pediatric healthcare reform.

Methods: This study applies the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework to rigorously evaluate LEND implementation and impact between 2018 and 2022. In-depth interviews (N = 24) were conducted among long-term (1-year) LEND trainees, via Zoom, in a southeastern state.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Delay discounting predicts COVID-19 vaccine booster willingness.

Cogn Res Princ Implic

January 2025

Department of Psychology and Centre for Integrative and Applied Neuroscience, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.

Developing ways to predict and encourage vaccine booster uptake are necessary for durable immunity responses. In a multi-nation sample, recruited in June-August 2021, we assessed delay discounting (one's tendency to choose smaller immediate rewards over larger future rewards), COVID-19 vaccination status, demographics, and distress level. Participants who reported being vaccinated were invited back one year later (n = 2547) to report their willingness to receive a booster dose, along with reasons for their decision.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Prolonged Exposure for Primary Care (PE-PC) leverages an opportunity to provide evidence-based posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) care in the PC setting where many veterans present for services and can greatly increase treatment access. However, such acute, short-term intervention may not be effective for all PTSD patients.

Method: We analyzed data from a randomized clinical trial evaluating PE-PC to determine who may or may not benefit from PE-PC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Rural health care delivery remains a global challenge and India is no exception, particularly in regions with Indigenous populations such as the state of Jharkhand. The Community Health Centres in Jharkhand, India, are staffed by Indigenous workers who play a crucial role in bridging the health care gap. However, their motivation and retention in these challenging areas are often influenced by a complex mix of sociocultural and environmental factors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technology used to examine the skin's invisible microstructures in dermatological practice and is gaining prominence as a crucial tool. Dermoscopy is an evidence-based practice used to enhance the early detection of skin malignancies and to help distinguish between various skin conditions, including pigmented and nonpigmented skin malignancies. Currently, the vast majority of global guidelines for skin cancer recommend dermoscopy as a critical component.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!