Health literacy of the Deaf community: a scoping review

This scoping review examined health literacy among Deaf populations and identified gaps in current evidence. A systemic search of PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane was conducted from database inception to December 31, 2024. English-language quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies reporting from the perspective of Deaf individuals of any age were included, alongside studies evaluating educational interventions. Data were charted using a standardized extraction framework and analysed thematically. Fifty-seven studies from 14 countries met the inclusion criteria. Four themes emerged: health literacy of Deaf people, factors affecting the health literacy of Deaf people, source of health information, and impact of interventions on health literacy levels. Overall, Deaf people demonstrated poorer health literacy levels than hearing populations, largely due to communication barriers and inaccessible health information. While educational interventions improved knowledge, evidence on their sustained impact remains limited. Findings underscore the need for culturally-competent, sign-language-accessible health education to reduce health inequities.