Overcoming barriers : the development of an animated film on HPV for deaf and hearing students

Deaf youngsters are faced with several types of barriers that preclude them from receiving information, particularly those related to health problems. These difficulties expose this group to unnecessary risks due to their lack of knowledge. The aim of this study was to: 1) identify how aware deaf (>80 dB) people are of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV); 2) develop engaging material to convey information on this subject; 3) evaluate the comprehension and impact of the information given. Initially, a qualitative survey about HPV was undertaken with 42 youngsters from the National Institute for the Deaf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a result of which their lack of knowledge about HPV became apparent. In aiming to create material related to this subject, we found there was a paucity of videos posted on the topic on the YouTube channel. As a result, we created an animated video about HPV, using stop-motion technique, and which was posted on YouTube. Finally, we conducted a focus group with profoundly deaf students to identify whether they could understand the video. After viewing it, participants showed a significant increase in the understanding of HPV. This study demonstrates that it is possible to develop products in health communication for both deaf and hearing people.