An assessment on the provision of South African Sign Language interpreting services in the healthcare setting during the Covid-19 pandemic
Date
2023-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the communication challenges experiences by Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in various healthcare settings. The mandatory use of masks did not make communication any easier for such people, challenges related to lipreading and the understanding of non-manual features (facial expressions). Furthermore, owing to the shortage of sign language interpreters in South Africa, Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients had to navigate their way around healthcare settings regardless of the extreme communication difficulties experienced. This research assessed the provision of South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreting services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in healthcare settings in the Gauteng province of South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. Interviews and an online survey were conducted with Deaf and SASL interpreter respondents to collect data linked to access to healthcare services during the Covid-19 period. Deaf participants expressed the view that the provision of SASL interpreting services in healthcare was inadequate. Deaf participants also indicated that they were unable to book or gain access to an SASL interpreter for medical appointments. This was also the case in emergency situations where a last-minute booking was needed. In addition, a lack of trust in SASL interpreters was manifested by the Deaf participants, owing to the high costs associated with the interpreting services. Moreover, the Deaf participants expressed the view that medical staff tended to have a negative approach to Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. The recommendations made on the basis of this research are that medical professionals should learn basic sign language and that SASL interpreters should learn medical terminology and the equivalent SASL sign/s to ensure increased accessibility by Deaf and hard-of-hearing people to communication in health care setting.
Description
A thesis presented to the Humanities Faculty at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for degree Master of Arts (Interpreting). School of Literature, Language and Media, in 2023.
Keywords
Covid-19 Pandemic, Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, South African Sign Language (SASL), Gauteng province, South African, Non-manual features (facial expressions), UCTD
Citation
Motimele, Dimakatso Martina. (2023). An assessment on the provision of South African Sign Language interpreting services in the healthcare setting during the Covid-19 pandemic. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace.
https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39939