Barreiras de comunicação entre profissionais e pessoas surdas nos serviços de saúde pública

Clear communication is important to ensure safe, humane, and inclusive healthcare. Deaf people face communication challenges in healthcare services due to the lack of professionals trained in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). This study aimed to evaluate the main communication barriers between healthcare professionals and deaf people, based on the opinions of participants from a survey aimed at the deaf community and healthcare professionals. This is a quantitative, descriptive study, conducted remotely through two Google Forms surveys, shared with people living in different Brazilian states from March to August 2026. The form created for deaf people has 12 responses, and the form for healthcare professionals has 30 responses. The answers showed communication difficulties, a lack of support from professionals trained in sign language, and how important it is to have an interpreter in Health Units. Among the participants working in healthcare, 100% admitted that deaf people face communication challenges, and 100% considered the presence of interpreters and training in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) for professionals to be important. It is understood that reducing communication barriers depends on professional training, the availability of interpreters, and structuring health services with accessible resources.