Voices in Crisis: An Ethnographic Study Uncovering Family Caregivers’ Experiences with their Involvement in Ghanaian Emergency Care.

Background Family involvement is increasingly acknowledged as an important component of patient-centered emergency care. However, in Ghana, limited research has explored how families perceive their roles, experiences, and challenges during relatives’ emergency care. This study sought to explore the perspectives of family members regarding their involvement in emergency care at the AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation and Obuasi Government Hospital in Ghana. Research Design/Methodology: This was qualitative research with an ethnographic, contextually grounded design, guided by the COREQ checklist. Ghanaian participants were purposively sampled, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 family members of patients admitted to the emergency unit. The data were transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was conducted through open coding using Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic framework in the ATLAS-ti version 24.0 software. Findings: The study found that families were largely excluded from direct caregiving but contributed through logistical and financial support. Participants experienced strong emotional reactions, including fear and anxiety, which were eased after patient stabilization. Communication was a major concern, with many reporting delays and negative staff attitudes, though few received adequate updates. Institutional restrictions, congestion, and privacy issues limited involvement, while supportive staff facilitated participation. Conclusion The findings of this study conclude that while families desire meaningful involvement in emergency care, systemic, institutional, and interpersonal barriers limit their participation. Also, participants' emotional well-being is strongly tied to communication.