Bringing health care information to the deaf community.

BACKGROUND: The Deaf community reports limited access to health promotion information and care. Literature review, key informant interviews, and focus groups generated a clearer understanding of the community. Health care providers, educators, and policymakers could improve medical care to the Deaf community by: 1) better understanding its culture and language; 2) creating more health education programs specifically for the Deaf community; 3) developing opportunities for more deaf people and American Sign Language (ASL) users to enter the health professions; and 4) creating incentives for hearing health care providers to become ASL proficient.