Percepciones y decisiones de los padres de los niños sordos y/o hipoacúsicos sobre la atención médica, febrero – julio 2016

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Describe the parent´s perception in the “Instituto Especial de Invidentes y Sordos del Azuay” (IEISA) and in the “Centro de Estimulación Integral y de Apoyo Psicoterapéutico de la Universidad del Azuay” (CEIAP) about the process of medical care: diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment of their sons and daughters and the decisions made by parents in medical care, in the period between February and July 2016. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative research. The universe, the tutors of children from 4 to 7 years old in the schools of deaf children IEISA and CEIAP; sample for convenience made up of 8 parents. The experiences were collected through semi-structured interviews, recorded, transcribed and coded manually. Conceptual categories were used: parents' perception of health care, decision making, and the health care process. The analysis of the data was done with a phenomenological approach. RESULTS: The perspective of the parents evidenced an inappropriate doctor-patient relationship; the majority emphasized in bad behavior by the medical staff that generally complicated their decisions (acceptance of the diagnosis and therapeutic preference). However, they also describe times when the physician was emotionally supportive with timely information. In the medical process different routes were described that converge in similar situations. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop skills in the doctor about quality communication