Rose Ann Strebel
Scenario
Liz and Penny are both profoundly deaf. Liz has learnt to lip read and is able to have a conversation
with another person. Penny cannot. Does Liz have better health than penny? Why?
No. Liz who learnt how to lip read could be in a comfortable situation than penny. However, this
does not meet the level of fluency required for effective communication especially in regards to
complex health care situation. Only 30% of English words can be lip read which take practice, skill
and patience. 1 I would conditionally assume that penny learnt sign language which is quite
straightforward. There are specific rules for vocabulary and grammar.2 There are different factors of
which can prevented through public strategies.3
1
National Deaf Children’s Society 2021 | Registered Charity. Available at
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/language-and-communication/spokenlanguage/supporting-speaking-and-listening/lip-reading/. Accessed September 21, 2021
2
Albany Jacobson Eckert,2014. Lip reading vs sign language
3
World Health Organization, 2021. Hearing loss and deafness. Available at https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss. Accessed September 21, 2021