Early Diagnosis and Cancer Screening Among People with Hearing Impairments
摘要
Cancer screening programs are the most important step in early detection of cancer. Early diagnosis after cancer screening reduces morbidity and mortality. Global strategies to minimize morbidity and mortality focus on the importance of cancer screening for early detection. Cancer screening is used globally to diagnose many cancers, including breast, cervical, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Access to screening services is an important factor in early detection and screening for cancer. Access to information and communication with health professionals are important for accessing cancer screening programs. Communication barrier appears to be one of the most important barriers in early diagnosis, screening, and treatment of cancer. People with hearing impairment are a special group experiencing communication barriers. People with hearing impairment have difficulties in accessing health-related information, communicating with health personnel, receiving adequate information from health personnel, and understanding the information they receive. People with hearing impairment have lower literacy and health literacy rates than people without hearing impairment. Therefore, people with hearing impairment have less cancer knowledge than people without hearing impairment and their participation in cancer screenings is more limited. There is a need to raise knowledge and awareness about cancer screening for people with hearing impairment. In order to reduce their disadvantages in cancer diagnosis and treatment, they should be encouraged to participate in cancer screening by facilitating education, information, and access to information. In order to facilitate access to cancer information, cancer guidelines should be translated into sign language, sign language interpreters should be available in health centers, and the number of health personnel who know sign language should be increased. Information on early diagnosis and screening for cancers, especially breast cancer, which is the most common cancer in the world, should be provided and video trainings should be prepared in sign language and delivered to hearing-impaired people. Thus, hearing-impaired people who access information and understand it easily will have easier access to early diagnosis and treatment.