Healthcare seeking behaviours of parents who have children with disabilities at university practice inclusive basic school, south campus and Rev. Fr. John memorial school, Winneba

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore healthcare seeking behaviours of parents who have children with disabilities in University Practice Inclusive Basic School and Rev, Fr, John Memorial School both in Winneba. A case study design was adopted where the researcher used a qualitative approach such as semi-structured interview guide to gather data for the study. Data from participants were analysed using thematic analytical approach. The results revealed that some of the parents after the first diagnosis by health professionals consulted a spiritualist or herbalist for help. Some parents also revealed that they buy over the counter medications when their children with disabilities fall sick whilst others maintained that the hospital was their first point of call when their child was sick. Also, some parents stated that their responses to their children‟s healthcare depended on the severity of the sickness. The results also revealed that availability and accessibility to healthcare services, stigmatization as well as socio-cultural factors influenced parents in seeking healthcare services for their children with disabilities. Also, the study revealed that acceptance by society, expansion of resources, training of health professionals and support for parents were ways that could be adopted to improve healthcare seeking behaviours of parents The study recommends that Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Social Welfare Department to provide health education for parents who have children with disabilities on how to seek healthcare services for their children and also educate them on them on that factors that influence these parent‟s healthcare seeking behaviours.