Accessibility to Healthcare for Deaf Individuals in Latin America: A Systematic Review
摘要
Deaf individuals in Latin America encounter persistent barriers when accessing healthcare services, primarily due to the absence of sign language interpreters, limited training among healthcare personnel, and insufficient availability of accessible health information. These communicative, structural, and social obstacles contribute to significant health disparities within this population. This study aimed to analyze access to healthcare services for deaf people in Latin America by identifying the main communicative, structural, and social barriers affecting their care. A systematic review with a qualitative approach was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Cochrane, SciELO, and Science Direct, including empirical studies published between 2015 and 2024 in Spanish, English, or Portuguese. Eleven studies from multiple Latin American countries met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently reported barriers were the lack of interpreters, insufficient training of medical staff, structural inequities, and limited investment in inclusive policies. While Chile and Ecuador demonstrated advances in inclusion strategies, Colombia and Brazil showed persistent structural and communicative limitations. Additional gaps were identified in sexual and reproductive health services for deaf women, along with disparities in mobility, comprehension, and autonomy compared with the general population. Overall, despite some national efforts to improve accessibility, deaf individuals in Latin America continue to face significant barriers to equitable healthcare, underscoring the need for comprehensive, inclusive, and rights-based health policies.