The Sound of Silence: Exploring the Meaning of Silence in Healthcare for Persons with Visual Impairments-A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Silence was not merely the absence of sound, but also a form of exclusion, disempowerment, and uncertainty shaped by the lack of nonverbal cues in clinical settings for persons with visual impairments (PVIs). This study aimed to explore how PVIs experience and interpret silence throughout different stages of healthcare encounters and to uncover the psychosocial meanings they attach to these moments of silence. This study is qualitative research conducted in Samsun, T & uuml;rkiye, between April and May 2025. A descriptive phenomenological design was employed, and in-depth, semistructured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 PVIs. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method of thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged from the study: preprocedural silence, intraprocedural silence, and postprocedural silence. Preprocedural silence created uncertainty and anxiety among participants due to a lack of information and environmental barriers. Intraprocedural silence increased feelings of loss of control and powerlessness, weakening the process of informed consent. Postprocedural silence was associated with feelings of loneliness, incompleteness, and a tendency to withdraw from healthcare services.