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Disability
Deaf people can also have functional limitations or disabilities. Sometimes these are referred to as “secondary disabilities.” Unfortunately, no one knows how many Deaf people have disabilities or which disabilities are most common among Deaf people.
The research that is most readily available on this topic has focused on disabilities among Deaf children. According to this research, anywhere from 20% to 40% of all Deaf and hard of hearing children have accompanying disabilities. Looking at this research might provide some insights about the prevalence of disabilities among Deaf adults.
We can also assume that Deaf people have the same types of disabilities as hearing people do. However we cannot assume that the rates of disabilities among Deaf people are the same. For example, some research has shown that Deaf people experience mental health issues and addiction at higher rates than the general population.
Barriers to Services
When working with survivors, it is particularly important to recognize the barriers to social services they may experience because of a disability. Deaf people with disabilities may find themselves caught between multiple systems:
- Services that are designed to serve people with disabilities may not have an understanding of Deaf culture or offer culturally competent services.
- Services that are designed for Deaf people, on the other hand, may not be accessible.
- Finally, mainstream services (i.e., services that are not tailored to serve people with disabilities or Deaf people) often lack cultural competency and the level of accessibility needed for Deaf people with disabilities to feel welcome.
As a result, Deaf people with disabilities often experience lack access to services.
