**2.3 Study participants**

The study participants were parents of children with CP between the ages of 3 to 17 years who attend a special school in the Greater Accra Region, this is because 17% of children are diagnosed with CP within the age range and healthcare providers who provide services to children with CP within the study period will be part of the study (**Table 1**).

#### **2.4 Selection of study participants**

The respondents for this study were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. This sampling technique is a non-probability sampling used to select participants based on the experiences and characteristics they possess that best fit for the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were considered in selecting the participants for the study. Parents of children with CP who met the inclusion criteria were purposively sampled at home for an interview in the study. Three (3) participants were selected each day for the in-depth interview (IDI) while the key informant interview (KII) was also used for healthcare workers who met the inclusion criteria until the point of saturation was reached. Saturation was determined when no new information was emerging from the study participants. A total of fifteen (15) participants reached saturation, including 10 parents of children with CP and 5 health care providers. The study purposefully identified and selected ten (10) children with CP who are eligible for the study at the school level based on age, sex, and disability and proceeded to their homes to consent to their parents or caregivers for recruitment for an in-depth interview.

Also, five (5) health facilities both private and public in the Greater Accra Region were selected for key informant interviews based on specialized and generalized healthcare services provided. Five (5) eligible healthcare providers within the selected health facilities who directly offer healthcare services to children with CP were


**Table 1.**

*Socio-demographic characteristics of participants.*

*Access to Healthcare Services Among Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Greater Accra Region… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106684*

purposively selected for the study based on a particular set of characteristics such as experience, skills, knowledge, and highest educational level for a KII. This is to get an adequate number of participants for the study.

#### **2.5 Data collection methods**

The study used both IDIs and KIIs to collect primary data from study participants. IDIs were steered within the homes of identified parents of children with CP at their convenience. Also, all KIIs were steered within the work premises of the identified healthcare provider upon appointment. The IDIs and KIIs were directed by an interview guide containing questions and probes that directed the interviewer.

#### **2.6 Selection of study participants**

The respondents for this study were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. This sampling technique is a non-probability sampling used to select participants based on the experiences and characteristics they possess that best fit for the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were considered in selecting the participants for the study. Parents of children with CP who met the inclusion criteria were purposively sampled at home for an interview in the study. Three (3) participants were selected each day for the IDI while the KII was also used for healthcare workers who met the inclusion criteria until the point of saturation was reached. Saturation was determined when no new information was emerging from the study participants. A total of fifteen (15) participants reached saturation, including 10 parents of children with CP and 5 health care providers. The study purposefully identified and selected ten (10) children with CP who are eligible for the study at the school level based on age, sex, and disability and proceeding to their homes to consent to their parents or caregivers for recruitment for IDIs. Also, five (5) health facilities both private and public in the Greater Accra Region were selected for KII based on specialized and generalized healthcare services provided.

#### **2.7 Data collection tools**

An interview guide, a field notebook, a voice recorder, and a field diary were used to collect data during the study. The interview guide for both IDIs and KIIs contained questions and probes on; the knowledge of parents on the Persons with Disability Act of Ghana, NHIS, perceptions of parents about the implementation of the National Health Policy in Ghana, parental factors in accessing health care, healthcare factors (challenges), and specialized services available for children with CP. Both in-depth interviews and key informant interviews were recorded using a voice recorder and field diary to take key notes found on the field.

#### **2.8 Data analysis**

All IDIs and KIIs were recorded with the participants' permission. Interviews conducted in the local dialect were transcribed literally into English by the research assistant who was conversant with the language. All transcriptions were confirmed and transported into Nvivo version 12. The coding of themes was developed thematically in line with the objectives of the study and emerging themes in the field. The

inductive and deductive approaches were used in the coding process. Themes were summarized into appropriate sub-headings using queries. A codebook was developed for themes that will emerge during interviews on the field and appropriate excerpts were used to support the theme.
