Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate access to healthcare services
among students with disabilities (SWDs) in Ghana. Specifically, the study
sought to examine accessibility to physical structures of healthcare facilities to
students with disabilities, examine the attitude of healthcare providers to
SWDs, availability of support services for SWDs in the healthcare facilities
and how healthcare service bills are funded by SWDs. I employed qualitative
research design dwelling on the phenomenological approach for the study.
Purposive sampling technique was used to select a total of 54 participants,
which comprises 29 SWDs from the three special schools, 17 healthcare
providers (nurses and doctors) and 8 school-mothers for the study. Interview
guide was used for data collection. The interview data were transcribed, coded
and analysed thematically. The study revealed further that the physical
structures of healthcare facilities, inadequate healthcare facilities and financial
accessibility were problematic to SWDs in accessing healthcare services in
Ghana. The study revealed that the attitudes of healthcare providers towards
SWDs were good. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the
Ministries of Health and Housing to revisit existing building regulations and
policies to redesign buildings to ensure more disability friendly healthcare
structures that will be accessible to SWDs.
