Title: Bridging the health equity gap: A mixed-methods assessment of the health needs of deaf youth in Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract:
A health needs assessment is a systematic approach to identifying a population's unmet health needs and taking steps to address them. According to the United Nations Population Fund, youths constituted 18% of the world's population in 2020. Therefore, there is a demand for health needs assessments to provide the information required for effective interventions for this group. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap by assessing the health needs of Deaf youths, the determinants of these needs, their access to health services, and their health knowledge. A mixed-methods study involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches was conducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Descriptive analysis was performed for all variables in this study, and associations between health needs and their independent variables were tested using Chi-square (fisher’s exact test), with results considered significant at p<0.05.A total of 8 Deaf youths participated in the focus group discussion, of whom 80% were male, 64% were aged between 22 and 25 years, and 80% had a secondary school education. The questionnaire-based study included 116 respondents, of whom 54.3% were males, 63.8% were aged 15-18 years, and 69.8% were in senior secondary school. The health needs in order of priority were mental health, 76.2%, health education, 67.2%, physical health, 59.7%, social health, 40.8%, health information, 35.06% and spiritual health, 21.2%. There was a significant positive relationship between the educational level of Deaf youths and their spiritual health needs (F = 12.264, p = 0.02). This implies that an increase in their level of education showed a decreased spiritual health need. The level of health knowledge among the participants was low (38.3%), but there was a moderate level of their access to health services (50.8%). The health needs of Deaf youths are directly related to their health outcomes, and significant attention should be paid to these needs, as they reflect the current health status of Deaf youths. Depression, discrimination, and communication barriers are factors that influence the health needs of Deaf youths 2,3,4. Effective training should be provided to counsellors and health workers caring for Deaf youths on diagnosing issues, thereby reducing the risks of depression 5,6. Parents, guardians, and hearing peers should be encouraged to learn basic sign language as a strategy to reduce discrimination and bridge the communication gap within the Deaf community.
