SUICÍDIO E SURDEZ: A SAÚDE MENTAL NÃO ACESSÍVEL

https://doi.org/10.29327/211653.6.6-1

Abstract

North American studies have found that deaf people have higher rates of psychiatric disorder compared to hearing individuals, while at the same time facing difficulties in accessing mental health services. These factors, of course, can increase the risk of suicide. In Brazil, however, the weight of suicidal behavior in deaf people is unknown to date. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide quantitative data that lead to reflection and consequently to the induction of new research on behavior and suicidal thinking among deaf people. In order to do so, we sought to ascertain the incidence and prevalence of suicidal behavior, as well as supposed risk factors. As an auxiliary tool in the collection of the desired information, an anonymous, online questionnaire, composed of seven questions, was used for deaf people. Through the information obtained from the interviewees, it is concluded that suicidal thinking has affected the majority of deaf people interviewed, frightening results that need to be shared and that instigate the desire for even more detailed data. It is not surprising that SUS (Unified Health System - Brazilian) is inaccessible to the deaf, and this is one of the agents of public mental health blockade accessible to this group. However, in addition to this factor, there is a shortage of professionals who dominate the Brazilian Language of Signals and the absence of Sign Language interpreters, which aggravates the lack of assistance to this public. These and other concrete and relevant data are presented and discussed in this paper in order to provoke thinking about the inclusion of the deaf in public health care.