2023 Perception of Ghanaian healthcare students towards the learning of sign language as a course

Communication remains one of the greatest barriers to healthcare for deaf people because many healthcare professionals lack competence in sign language. This study assessed Ghanaian healthcare students' perceptions of introducing Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL) as a course in health training programmes. A cross-sectional online survey involving 666 health students was conducted, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. The findings showed that approximately nine out of every ten students supported the introduction of GhSL into the curriculum. Nursing students perceived greater benefits of learning GhSL for the deaf community than students from other health programmes, while midwifery students were more likely to support the provision of professional sign language interpreters in hospitals rather than relying solely on healthcare workers who had learned GhSL. The study recommends providing appropriate teaching and learning materials, recruiting competent sign language instructors, and strengthening collaboration among the Nursing and Midwifery Council, universities, and the Ministry of Health to sustain students' interest in learning Ghanaian Sign Language.