Introduction:

The professional-patient bond is based on communication that respects verbal and subjective aspects. However, Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) is not understood by most health professionals, compromising the quality of care for deaf patients.

Objective:

To evaluate the care of deaf patients by doctors and nurses in primary health care (PHC) in a city in the south of Minas Gerais and the professional’s ability to effectively establish a communicative interaction with a deaf patient, meeting their needs.

Methods:

Quantitative, field, observational, and descriptive cross-sectional study, with a sample of 69 doctors and nurses working in PHC in a municipality in the south of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The questionnaire was adapted to the view of health professionals.

Results:

It was observed that 86.9% (n=60) of the professionals have «Nothing/Almost nothing» in the LIBRAS domain, making it impossible to understand the deaf patient’s complaint, observed in 43.5% (n=30) of the interviewees. Thus, because of this communication difficulty, the demand for health professionals by the deaf is not significant, since 33.3% (n=23) of professionals never or rarely saw them.

Conclusion:

It is concluded that communication is the main barrier in professional-deaf patient interaction, making it difficult to create a bond, diagnostic information, and treatment adherence.

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