Perception of Dieners Regarding Social Acceptance and the Right to Work: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Perception of dieners regarding social acceptance and the right to work: A qualitative study The purpose of this study was to describe the stigma and discrimination associated with the work of Deniers in selected Ghanaian society. The right to work is a modest human right globally. It is a right acknowledged under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which delineates the various types of Work. As such, each person is at liberty to take up any job granted that one has the capacity and skills. This decision must be free from stigma or discrimination. However, this is not the case with mortuary Attendants in Ghana. This study explored the viewpoints of Ghanaian mortuary attendants and how society perceives their rights to work. The study used a qualitative research approach, with exploratory and descriptive designs, that sought an in-depth understanding from sampled mortuary attendants on the perception of their community members towards their work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio recorded with concurrent data transcription and analysis using content analysis. Purposive sampling was used. The study included male or female mortuary employees with at least one year of working experience. The themes that emerged were self-stigma, public stigma, stigma-by-association, and structural stigma. The results were structured according to a stigma model. The study reveals high levels of stigmatization and discrimination against mortuary attendants, which is useful for enacting effective policies to reverse the scornful stigmatization and discrimination against death care workers and those in related profiles. However, this is a qualitative study and hence cannot be used for generalization.