JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The current standard of interpretation provision is not efficacious or not acceptable to Deaf patients who communicate using sign language. In-person or VRI sign language interpretation is largely unavailable. There is no clear data on the availability of VRI or in-person interpretation. Given the limited number of available sign language interpreters and the cost, VRI may be more available than in-person. Existing evidence tends to focus on assessing personal references of Deaf users regarding interpretation and interpreters’ preferences. Although preferences are essential, there is a vacuum of knowledge on the format of access to interpretation impacts quality communication between Deaf persons and health personnel

Objective:

This study looks at the effectiveness of the VRI system in improving communication outcomes between Deaf patients and doctors versus the ‘available standard of care of the usual communication tools, including informal interpretation, lip or note reading, and using their mobile phones to contact a formal or informal interpreter, for Deaf patients aged 18 and older in Bogota, Colombia.

Methods:

This is a Randomised Controlled Trial with a total sample size of 216 participants, divided into two groups: an intervention group, which receives a medical appointment using VRI, and a control group, which receives a medical appointment using the standard communication. Both the deaf participants and the healthcare professionals will be blinded to the allocation, as they will not know whether the appointment will involve VRI or standard communication until they arrive at the office. The primary outcome measure will be an assessment of communication using a Doctor-Patient Communication (DPC) scale. This scale was translated into Colombian Sign language following a rigorous cultural adaptation and translation procedure. Furthermore, the database contains clinical variables such as age, sex, place of birth, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, personal medical history (hypertension, diabetes, alcohol consumption, tobacco, physical activity), use of hearing aids, questions on mental health, presence of hypertension, obesity, and cardiopulmonary-, musculoskeletal-, and metabolic-disorders, recommendations provided by the doctor during a general medicine appointment and so on. We will compute associations.

Results:

Recruitment opened on August 24, 2023. The intervention and data collection are expected to be finalized by late October 2024. As of July 2024, 180 participants had been enrolled. The findings of this study are expected to be submitted for publication in early 2025.

Conclusions:

This study will provide rigorous evidence regarding ICT intervention in healthcare, addressing empirical challenges in using inclusive research designs in public health. Additionally, effective VRI models that address the challenges faced by deaf people will be tested, implemented, and sustained in an LMIC. A disability-inclusive evaluative tool for quality communication mediated by VRI in healthcare is also tested. Ultimately, this will lead to evidence-based recommendations for implementing the CRPD in mobile health contexts Clinical Trial: Clinical Trials: NCT05966623