Towards improving the utilisation of counselling centre services by Ghanaian university students: An exploratory study

Abstract

This study sought to explore university students’ expectations from on-campus counselling centres in order to improve service utilisation. A total of 72 Ghanaian students attending a public university in Accra (64% females; 85% undergraduate; 90% in the 18–35 age range) provided written responses of their expectations from their counselling centre. Thematic analyses yielded two essential counselling centre needs: Enhanced counselling centre functions and the elimination of systems barriers. For enhanced counselling centre functions, students reported needing traditional and non-traditional services, as well as advocacy efforts on their behalf. Systems barriers students wanted eliminated were stigma, low awareness and inaccessibility. These findings indicate a need for a holistic approach to service delivery, and elimination of services-seeking barriers to improve counselling centre service utilisation at Ghanaian universities.