Communication issues between pharmacists and d/Deaf people: a qualitative study in Thailand

People who are d/Deaf face challenges when communicating with pharmacists, especially during medication counseling.

This study aimed to explore and understand the perceptions and experiences of d/Deaf people regarding medication counseling by hospital pharmacists.

Five sets of semi-structured in-depth interviews (44 total) and one focus group were conducted among d/Deaf people, hospital pharmacists, and Thai sign language (TSL) interpreters. Data from d/Deaf people's perspectives were triangulated with data from pharmacists and TSL interpreters.

Five themes emerged from the interview: (1) d/Deaf people believe that deafness is stigmatized, (2) d/Deaf people's needs during medication counseling, (3) skills for d/Deaf people to communicate with pharmacists, (4) values identified in d/Deaf people, 5) emotions related to medication counseling with pharmacists. Effort, trust, confidentiality, and privacy were values associated with counseling. d/Deaf people preferred communicating with pharmacists in TSL to communicating with pharmacists via TSL interpreters because of trust and confidentiality. They also preferred pharmacists with d/Deaf knowledge and skills. Moreover, d/Deaf people believed that deafness was stigmatized, so signing in nonprivate areas was embarrassing. When TSL was not used in communication, language, lipreading, and technology skills became important. With these non-TSL communications, d/Deaf people may not have understood the conversation. However, they may not have asked pharmacists because they felt Krengjai (the hesitancy to bother).

Thai d/Deaf people have negative experiences during medication counseling. Skills and emotions can act as barriers to communication with pharmacists. TSL should be used to improve d/Deaf people's experiences during medication counseling.