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Background <p>While deathcare services in developed countries are provided by well-trained, adequately resourced professionals, the industry in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by minimal training, apprenticeship, and severe resource constraints. Consequently, workers in SSA often lack knowledge of industry policies, fail to adhere to proper personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols, and maintain poor personal and hand hygiene. Therefore, this study explored the knowledge, on-site safety practices, and experiences of deathcare workers in selected facilities within the Central and Western North regions of Ghana.</p> Methods <p>Using a 10-item interview guide and observation checklists, we collected data from 35 participants selected using purposive sampling method. We employed a realistic phenomenological design and observational analysis to interpret the findings.</p> Results <p>Deathcare workers have limited knowledge of industry regulations designed to protect their health and safety. On-site practices are inconsistent with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ghana, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidelines. Specifically, workers fail to use PPE correctly, and their hand and personal hygiene practices do not conform to MoH standard operating procedures. These workers engaged in inappropriate handling of dead bodies risking exposure to infection.</p> Conclusions <p>These deathcare workers have very limited knowledge required to provide safe deathcare services and were unable to advocate for their rights under existing policy guidelines. The MoH must develop a policy to standardize the recruitment of deathcare workers, while training current workers for protection.</p>

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On-site safety practices and knowledge in deathcare work: a phenomenological account of the lived-experiences of deathcare workers in Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月4日

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  • Nkosi Nkosi Botha,
  • Anita A. A. Baku,
  • Cynthia E. Segbedzi,
  • Victor K. Dumahasi,
  • Samuel Maneen,
  • Edward W. Ansah

摘要

Background

While deathcare services in developed countries are provided by well-trained, adequately resourced professionals, the industry in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by minimal training, apprenticeship, and severe resource constraints. Consequently, workers in SSA often lack knowledge of industry policies, fail to adhere to proper personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols, and maintain poor personal and hand hygiene. Therefore, this study explored the knowledge, on-site safety practices, and experiences of deathcare workers in selected facilities within the Central and Western North regions of Ghana.

Methods

Using a 10-item interview guide and observation checklists, we collected data from 35 participants selected using purposive sampling method. We employed a realistic phenomenological design and observational analysis to interpret the findings.

Results

Deathcare workers have limited knowledge of industry regulations designed to protect their health and safety. On-site practices are inconsistent with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ghana, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidelines. Specifically, workers fail to use PPE correctly, and their hand and personal hygiene practices do not conform to MoH standard operating procedures. These workers engaged in inappropriate handling of dead bodies risking exposure to infection.

Conclusions

These deathcare workers have very limited knowledge required to provide safe deathcare services and were unable to advocate for their rights under existing policy guidelines. The MoH must develop a policy to standardize the recruitment of deathcare workers, while training current workers for protection.