Poorna Kushalnagar|Claire Ryan|Scott Smith|Raja Kushalnagar
Critical health literacy in American deaf college students
Gallaudet University|The University of Texas at Austin|Rochester Institute of Technology|Gallaudet University
study investigates relationship critical health literacy chl discussion health information among college deaf students use american sign language chl crucial making appropriate healthrelated decisions oneself aiding others making good healthchoices research general youth population shows frequent healthrelated discussions friends family associated higher health literacy however sample deaf collegeaged students might less access communication home hypothesize healthrelated discussions sameage peers may important critical health literacy asked two questions assess frequency healthrelated discussions friends families often discuss healthrelated information friends often discuss family medical history family participants rated experience scale 15 1never 5always assess chl 38 deaf 38 hearing participants shown short scenario showed woman confiding friend finding lump breast participants asked friend say responses scored team 3 raters using chl rubric predicted results showed strong relationship discussion healthrelated information friends chl deaf hearing samples discussion family linked chl hearing participants deaf participants study findings underscore importance socializing healthliterate accessible peers improve health literacy health outcomes deaf people