Silent lifesavers: Breaking barriers with a sign language health education video for students with deafness on school first aid

Background: Students with deafness often face barriers to accessing health education materials, underscoring the need for tailored interventions like sign language health education videos to ensure inclusivity. Expert consensus plays a vital role in enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of educational content for individuals with sensory impairments. Aim: Design a sign language health education video for students with deafness on school first aid. Design: Using a qualitative research design, the study incorporated elements of phenomenology and expert consensus through the Delphi method. Methods: Administrative approvals were secured, and ethical considerations were addressed prior to data collection. A literature review informed the development of study tools, which were pilot-tested for face validity. The health education video, meticulously produced and translated into sign language, adhered to best practices in visual communication. Feedback from 30 students and 17 expert panelists, obtained through structured scales and Delphi rounds, respectively, guided evaluation. Two distinct tools were developed for data collection: one for assessing student experiences and feedback, and another for expert panelists evaluation. Results: The study included 152 students with deafness, primarily aged 15–20 years (81%), with 57% boys and 69% from rural areas. Approximately 46% lacked prior first aid knowledge, with only 6% attending courses. Among those exposed to first aid situations (32%), 19% administered aid for nosebleeds, primarily by holding the nose (15%) or applying a cold compress (8%), while 5% treated minor burns with water. Expert panelists, 17 in total, were mainly aged 35–45 years (47%) and predominantly women (76%), with diverse professional backgrounds. Strong agreement was observed among students (mean: 4.9, SD: 0.08) and expert panelists (mean: 4.87, SD: 0.197). Conclusion: The study underscores the potential of visual-based health education interventions, particularly for individuals with sensory impairments like deafness. Integrating sign language and expert consensus in the health education video emerged as promising for enhancing first aid knowledge and skills among students with deafness. Continued refinement and dissemination of such resources can significantly improve health literacy and inclusivity in educational settings. Recommendations: Future research should explore the long-term effects of incorporating sign language health education videos into school curricula for students with deafness. Investigating similar interventions on different health-related topics specific to individuals with sensory impairments could inform comprehensive health education programs for this population.