Accessing Healthcare Services Among Deaf Students: A Case Study of the Savelugu School for the Deaf, Northern Region-Ghana

Abstract

Individuals with disabilities are among the most disadvantaged in many communities. There are pieces of evidence that individuals with disabilities across the globe face distinctive obstacles when accessing healthcare facilities, and have worse health outcomes than people without disabilities. The purpose of the study was to explore access to healthcare services by students at Savelugu School for the Deaf in the Savelugu Municipality in Northern Region, Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select fourteen (14) students for the study, five (5) girls and nine (9) boys. Data for the study was gathered through face-to-face in-depth interviews using semi- structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was performed on the interview data after it had been transcribed, coded, and analyzed. The analysis of the data showed that the most significant obstacles to students’ access to healthcare services were communication barriers. Participants were optimistic that when provisions like sign language use by healthcare providers and other health workers as well as the use of interpreters are made available at various health facilities, access to healthcare would improve. Based on the findings, the study recommended that teachers in the school should encourage students to visit approved healthcare facilities for healthcare services instead of visiting native doctors and prayer camps for treatment. The Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with other stakeholders should introduce sign language education in the curriculum of health training institutions so health practitioners can properly assist persons with hearing disability to access proper health care. This study adds to the existing literature on challenges faced by persons with disabilities in accessing healthcare across Ghana and the globe. Keywords: Deaf Persons, Healthcare Services, Healthcare Providers, Ghana.