Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, Department of Health Promotion and Disability Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2022 Sep 12;22(1):1152. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08515-z.
The intersection between deafness and culture in sub-Saharan African contexts such as Ghana has culminated in restricted access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. While some attention has been given to the barriers faced by deaf persons in accessing SRH services, discussion of their needs and satisfaction with SRH services is at an embryonic stage. This lends support to the use of sequential mixed-method study design to assess the level of satisfaction and SRH needs of deaf persons.
This study was guided by explanatory sequential mixed-method study design. Thus, a two-phase data collection approach was adopted. In Phase I, a 32-item questionnaire with 16 items each for satisfaction regarding SRH services and SRH needs, was used for data collection from 288 deaf persons recruited from 3 of the 16 regions in Ghana. The data were subjected to the following computations: means, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlations, and multiple regression. In Phase II, a semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from 60 participants who were drawn from the earlier pool. The interviews were subjected to thematic analysis.
The results showed of correlation and multiple analyses showed a small relationship and significant contribution of needs in the variance of satisfaction. Also, there was a convergence between both the qualitative and quantitative data as participants confirmed the lack of consideration given to the needs of deaf persons regarding SRH service provisions.
Deaf persons who took part in this study were unsatisfied with SRH services due to barriers such as sign language interpreters and inaccessible information. Consequently, they expressed the need for preferred mode of communication and expedition of awareness creation on SRH. The study findings warrant the need for policymakers to inculcate the needs of deaf person in SRH services to improve access and thus, enhance satisfaction. For instance, recommendations such as the training of health professionals in the use of sign language could be considered in future SRH policy and other implications, are discussed.
在加纳等撒哈拉以南非洲国家，耳聋和文化的交集导致人们获得性与生殖健康（SRH）服务的机会受到限制。尽管已经关注到聋人在获得 SRH 服务方面所面临的障碍，但对于他们对 SRH 服务的需求和满意度的讨论仍处于起步阶段。这支持了使用顺序混合方法研究设计来评估聋人对 SRH 服务的满意度和需求水平。
本研究遵循解释性顺序混合方法研究设计。因此，采用了两阶段数据收集方法。在第一阶段，从加纳 16 个地区中的 3 个地区招募了 288 名聋人，使用包含 16 个项目的 32 项问卷来收集数据，每个项目分别用于评估对 SRH 服务和 SRH 需求的满意度。对数据进行了以下计算：平均值、t 检验、方差分析、相关性和多元回归。在第二阶段，从早期的参与者中抽取了 60 名参与者，使用半结构化访谈指南收集数据。对访谈进行了主题分析。
相关性和多元分析的结果表明，需求在满意度的方差中存在较小的关系和显著的贡献。此外，定量和定性数据之间存在一致性，因为参与者证实，在提供 SRH 服务时，没有考虑到聋人的需求。
参与这项研究的聋人对 SRH 服务不满意，原因是存在诸如手语翻译和信息无法访问等障碍。因此，他们表达了对首选沟通方式和加快 SRH 意识创造的需求。研究结果表明，政策制定者有必要将聋人对 SRH 服务的需求纳入其中，以改善获取途径，从而提高满意度。例如，可以考虑在未来的 SRH 政策和其他影响中，培训卫生专业人员使用手语。
