The Pathway to Diagnosis of Dementia for Francophones Living in a Minority Situation
The Pathway to Diagnosis of Dementia for Francophones Living in a Minority Situation
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DOI：
10.1093/geront/gnt121
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发表时间：
2014-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Silvius, James
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Garcia, Linda J.;McCleary, Lynn;Silvius, James
研究目的：随着痴呆症患病率的增加，早期诊断的压力也随之增加。虽然患者必须能够识别症状以获得适当的服务，但在一个多元文化的社会中，所有公民可能无法平等地获得这些服务。医护人员和病人可能缺乏共同的“第一语言”。“这项研究探讨了法语痴呆症患者（PWD）及其护理人员在围诊断期的经验。设计和方法：进行了个别访谈，以获取有关症状，家庭和朋友的作用，并获得正式服务的信息。七个残疾人和他们的照顾者谁讲法语作为他们的主要语言，但谁住在一个主要讲英语的地区完成了采访。结果和意义：没有单一的症状似乎足以提醒参与者，痴呆症可能存在。与会者表示，迫切需要向公众宣传痴呆症的迹象;他们谈到家庭医生的作用以及与保健专业人员建立长期关系的重要性。对于一些人来说，具有相似的个人特征，如语言和文化，可能会加强关系的强度，并促进诊断过程。
Purpose of the Study: As the prevalence of dementia increases, the pressure to make early diagnoses also increases. Although patients must be able to identify the symptoms to access appropriate services, they may not be equally accessible to all citizens in a multicultural society. Health care professionals and patients may lack a common "first language." This study explores the experience of francophone persons with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers during the peri-diagnostic period. Design and Methods: Individual interviews were undertaken to elicit information regarding symptoms, the role of the family and friends, and the access to formal services. Seven PWD and their caregivers who spoke French as their primary language but who lived in a primarily English-speaking region completed the interviews. Results and Implications: No single symptom seemed sufficient to alert participants that dementia might be present. Participants communicated that there was a dire need to inform the public about the signs of dementia; they spoke of the role of the family physician and the importance of having a long-standing relationship with a health professional. For some, having similar personal characteristics, such as language and culture, might accentuate the strength of the relationship and facilitate the process of diagnosis.