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The Family and Disability in Ghana: Highlighting Gaps in Achieving Social Inclusion

OPOKU, Maxwell Peprah
ALUPO, Beatrice Atim
GYAMFI, Naomi
ODAME, Lois
MPRAH, Wisdom Kwadwo
TORGBENU, Eric Lawer
BADU, Eric
2018

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Purpose: There are social and environmental barriers faced by persons with disabilities which have been reported in literature. In discussing these barriers, attention is yet to be given to the support from families to members with disabilities. This study aimed to examine family support and its impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in Ghana.

 

Methods: The study participants were 48 persons with disabilities - physical, hearing and visual disabilities - who were members of Disabled Peoples’ Organisations. They were conveniently drawn from 4 districts in the Northern region of Ghana.

 

Results: The study found that the families of the participants did not give them adequate support to access services that would improve their lives. For instance, limited access to education resulted in inability of participants to secure  jobs.

 

Conclusion: Without the primary support of the family, persons with disabilities might be unable to break down social barriers due to their inability to access education and other developmentally useful services. The implication of the study for policy-making has been discussed extensively.

Sexual violence against women with disabilities in Ghana: Accounts of women with disabilities from Ashanti Region

OPOKU, Maxwell Peprah
HUYSER, Nicole
MPRAH, Wisdom Kwadwo
ALUPO, Beatrice Atim
BADU, Eric
2016

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Purpose: Women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to violence and often at risk of being violated sexually. The study aimed to document the causes and consequences of sexual violence against women with disabilities in Mampong Municipality of Ashanti region in Ghana.

 

Methods: This exploratory study recruited 41 participants, made up of women living with intellectual, visual and hearing disabilities, were interviewed using convenience and snowball sampling techniques. 

 

Results: It was found that many participants had suffered sexual violence and factors such as poverty, rejection by families, isolation and unemployment were given as the cause. It was also found that these women suffered consequences such as unwanted pregnancies, divorce, outright rejection and psychological trauma.

 

Conclusion: The current situation of women with disabilities make it impossible for them to escape sexual violence. Therefore, it is essential that national awareness campaigns be fashioned to encourage people to provide support to their family members with disabilities. 

Situation analysis of programs to meet the HIV prevention, care, and treatment needs of persons with disabilities in Ghana, Uganda, and Zambia

TUN, Waimar
et al
December 2013

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With growing recognition that persons with sensory (blindness and deafness), physical, and intellectual disabilities are at risk for HIV, it is crucial to understand the HIV programming needs of persons with disabilities and challenges to accessing HIV-related services. The HIVCore project, funded by the U. S. Agency for International Development, conducted a situation analysis in Ghana, Uganda, and Zambia with persons with disabilities and service providers to describe existing HIV services for persons with disabilities, identify factors affecting access to and use of HIV services, and identify opportunities and gaps for addressing HIV service needs of persons with disabilities. By identifying the needs and challenges in HIV programming for persons with disabilities and by identifying existing programs, the findings from this assessment can be used to guide the implementation of disability-inclusive programming.

Perceptions about Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services among Deaf People in Ghana

MPRAH, W K
2013

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Purpose: This study aimed to provide insights into factors that influence the acquisition, accessibility, and utilisation of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services by deaf people who communicate using Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL).

 

Method: The study explored deaf people’s perceptions about barriers to SRH information and services in Ghana. There were 26 participants in 3 focus groups: 10 executives of Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), 7 deaf adult males and 9 deaf adult females. A key informant, who had experience in working with deaf people, was also interviewed. Review of documents and observations helped to clarify data gathered from the focus groups.

 

Results: Study findings indicated that when accessing SRH information and services in Ghana, deaf people encounter numerous barriers such as problems with communication, ignorance about deafness, negative attitudes, and services that are not customised to their needs.

 

Conclusion: If it is to succeed, any SRH programme for the deaf community must make the eradication of communication barriers a priority, since communication is fundamental to all challenges that deaf people encounter.

Sexual and reproductive health needs assessment with deaf people in Ghana: Methodological challenges and ethical concerns

MPRAH, Wisdom K
2013

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Background: Deafness is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. The different ways of perceiving and understanding deafness have practical implications for research with deaf people. Whilst the deaf community is not homogenous, it is generally distinct from the hearing population. Consequently, the appropriateness of applying research methods and informed concern processes designed for the hearing population in research with deaf people has been questioned.

 

Objectives: This article reflected on some methodological challenges and ethical concerns arising from conducting a sexual and reproductive health needs assessment with deaf people in Ghana. The aim was to provide some perspectives on some of the challenges associated with doing research with deaf people.

 

Method: The study was a two phase, sequential, mixed methods design, consisting of three focus groups to assist in the development of a survey and then the implementation of the survey for needs assessment data collection. The number of participants in the study was 179, consisting of 26 focus group participants: 7 executives of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), 10 male adults, and 9 female adults. There were 152 survey respondents (students, women and men) and one key informant. All participants, except the key informant, were deaf people.

 

Results: The application of traditional research methods to studies involving deaf participants presents numerous methodological and ethical dilemmas associated mainly with deaf people’s unique cultural and linguistic characteristics.

 

Conclusion: Research methods should not be taken as universal guidelines for conducting research in all settings because of differences in settings.

 

Knowledge and use of contraceptive methods amongst deaf people in Ghana

MPRAH, Wisdom K
2013

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Background: Persons with disabilities in general face serious barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services due to institutional and attitudinal barriers. However, because deaf people have unique communication and linguistic needs, which are often misunderstood or ignored, they face greater barriers than other persons with disabilities. Whilst available data indicated that there is a wide gap between knowledge and usage of contraceptive amongst Ghanaians, little is known about the level of contraceptive knowledge and usage amongst deaf people.

 

Objectives: The objective of the study was to investigate the level of knowledge and use of contraceptive methods amongst deaf people in Ghana with the aim of understanding their contraceptive behaviour and to improve access.

 

Method: The study was a participatory SRH needs assessment utilising a two-phase, sequential, mixed methods design. The study included 179 participants, consisting of focus groups with seven executives of Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), 10 male deaf adults, and 9 deaf female adults. A total of 152 deaf people, made up of students, women, and men participated in a survey, whilst one hearing person served as a key informant.

 

Results: The findings of the study indicated that of the 13 methods shown in the survey, only three were known to about 70% of the adults and 60% of the students. Level of knowledge of the remaining nine methods was low.

 

Conclusion: Clear and effective policies are needed to guide the provision of SRH information and services for deaf people in Ghana.

Exploring Knowledge and Attitudes towards HIV/AIDS among Deaf People in Ghana

MPRAH, W K
2013

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Purpose: By exploring the level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and attitudes towards persons with HIV/AIDS among deaf people in Ghana, this article aims to identify and correct possible gaps in awareness.

 

Method: A participatory sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs assessment was conducted, targetting deaf people who were fluent in the Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL). The study design was a two-phase, sequential, mixed methods approach. Three focus groups assisted in the development of a survey, which was then implemented for needs assessment data collection. The 179 study participants consisted of 26 focus group participants, 152 survey respondents and 1 key informant. Of the focus group participants, 7 were executives of Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), 10 were adult males, and nine were adult females. Apart from the key informant, all the participants were deaf persons.

 

Results: The study indicated that many respondents still had misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and had difficulty identifying preventive methods, but their attitudes towards persons with HIV/AIDS was generally positive.

 

Conclusion: More attention needs to be paid to the requirements of the deaf community and to designing HIV/AIDS programmes and services that are deaf-friendly and accessible.

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