TOPIC PERCEPTION OF GHANAIAN HEALTH STUDENTS TOWARDS THE LEARNING OF SIGN LANGUAGE AS COURSE

Descriptive statistics, Chi-square was used to analyze the differences between categorical variables at the rate of 95% confidence intervals (p=0.05), and binary logistic was performed to ascertain predictors of health student’s perception about hospital should provide professional interpreters than students learning GSL. The study found that about 9 in 10 of all health students support the introduction of GSL as acourse.

Student nurses perceive more benefits of learning GSL to the deaf community than all health students. Logistic regression revealed that students’ midwives were 2.183 times significantly more likely to support the view that hospitals should provide professional interpreters instead of health students learning GSL as compared with students who study Nursing (AOR: 2.183, CI: 1.104-4.316, p=0.025). To sustain the interest of students in the learning of GSl.

Appropriate teaching and learning materials should be made available. Likewise, competent instructors should be recruited in the teaching of GSl. This can be done through a collaborative effort between stakeholders including KNUST, NMC, and the ministry of health.