title: The pathway to diagnosis of dementia for francophones living in a minority situation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Bruyère Research Institute, Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. linda.garcia@uottawa.ca.
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Brock University, Ste Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCLeary
authors.affiliation: Acuity Research Group Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Léopoldoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dalziel
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of Alberta, Canada. Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Healthy Aging at Providence & Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koehn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silvius
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003142:Communication; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Cognitive; Communication; Culture; Family physician