Implications of language barriers for access to healthcare: The case of francophone migrants in Ghana

Abstract

Ghana has become home to many migrants from Francophone countries due to educational, professional, economic, and socio-political factors, among others. These factors also interact well with the country’s strategic location within the sub-region. As a result, migrants seek access to various public services including healthcare. However, language tends to be a barrier to their pursuit of quality healthcare. Based on the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) of Giles, the paper examines the implications of language barrier on Francophone migrants’ access to healthcare in Ghana and highlights how the migrant patients and health personnel perceive and deal with the barriers during consultations. The study uses qualitative methods, including key informant interviews and participant observation to gather data from three border towns and one referral hospital in the capital of Ghana. Findings reveal that health personnel and patients from francophone countries, when communicating during the health care process, demonstrate the use of convergence/accommodation and divergence/non-accommodation or divergence. On the whole, the practices and experiences that demonstrate convergence produce better health experiences and outcomes for both the patients and the health personnel while those that show divergence have a negative experience and outcome.