title: Deaf persons' english reading levels and associations with epidemiological, educational, and cultural factors.
abstract: One hundred six Michigan d/Deaf persons, part of a study evaluating how to improve d/Deaf persons' understanding of cancer prevention recommendations, had reading levels determined using the Test of Reading Comprehension, Syntactic Sentences. Respondents averaged 52 years old, 59% female, 84% Caucasian, 58% married, and 75% Deaf community members. The mean Test of Reading Comprehension, Syntactic Sentences score was 6.1 (women: 6.2, men: 6.0). Higher scores were associated with greater income (p = .02), employment (p = .01), education (high school p = .002, some college p < .001), English use (child at home, teacher in school, at home now: all p < .001), a hearing spouse (p = .003), hard of hearing/d/Deaf father (p = .02), losing hearing after age 20 years, believing smoking is bad (p < .001), speaking with and satisfaction with physicians and nurses (p < .001), good communication with (p = .01), and comfort discussing cancer with doctors (p < .001). Lower scores were associated with using American Sign Language with physicians and nurses (.019) and Deaf community membership (p = .02). In multivariate analysis, higher scores were associated with higher income, college degree, and teacher using English. Reading levels of a predominantly Deaf population were low. Higher income, college degree, and teacher using English were associated with higher reading levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA. pzaz@umich.edu
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zazove
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Meador
authors.forename: Barbara D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gorenflo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004522:Educational Status; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult