Kommunikation och bemötande av döva patienter i sluten psykiatrisk vård – en kvalitativ studie

Sammanfattning: The aim with the study was to examine how the communication and treatment of deaf inpatients are experienced in institutional care. The focus was to study how professionals in psychiatric care and persons with experience of the issue perceived the meeting between the professional and the inpatient, and what limitations and consequences may arise. The study was based on qualitative method with semi-structurized interviews. Totally, eleven persons were interviewed from different areas, among others professional in psychiatric clinics and persons who work at psychiatric surgeries for deaf people. The result shows that there are communication barriers in the meeting between a deaf inpatient and a professional without knowledge of sign language or deafness. The limited communication leads to uncertainty, misunderstanding and frustration for both parties. The consequences of absence of sign language communication and lack of knowledge about deafness are social isolation of the deaf inpatient, misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment.