BARREIRAS DE COMUNICAÇÃO E ACESSO À SAÚDE: DESAFIOS ENFRENTADOS POR PACIENTES USUÁRIOS DE LIBRAS NOS SERVIÇOS DE SAÚDE

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze the communication barriers faced by Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) users in accessing healthcare services. Through a integrative literature review of national and international databases, it identifies the main challenges in professional-patient interaction involving the deaf community. The findings demonstrate that the lack of training in Libras among healthcare professionals, the absence of interpreters, and the limited implementation of inclusive public policies significantly compromise the quality of care, accurate diagnoses, and treatment adherence. Additionally, the research highlights how cultural invisibility and structural inadequacies reinforce exclusion. It emphasizes the need for professional education reform, continuing training programs, and the integration of assistive technologies. The study concludes that overcoming these challenges requires ethical commitment, institutional responsibility, and intersectoral cooperation to promote inclusive and equitable healthcare for the deaf population. Keywords: Deaf culture. Professional training. Assistive technology. Social inclusion.