SYDNEY, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from the University of Sydney have recently initiated a new program to help Chinese Australians break down the social stigma about dementia and encourage them to get an early diagnosis.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the Face Dementia Chinese language campaign is underway in Western Sydney to provide free online and in-person resources enabling the Chinese community to start conversations with families about dementia-related concerns and ask their GP for an assessment.
"We know that people from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Chinese Australians, delay seeking help for dementia symptoms," said Lee-Fay Low, a professor in ageing and health at the University of Sydney.
"Our research with the Chinese Australian community shows there is poor understanding that dementia is a brain disease. Rather, symptoms of dementia are often incorrectly attributed to being a normal part of old age or mental illness, rather than a health problem where you can seek treatments and support," the professor added.
One major target of the Chinese-language campaign in Western Sydney is to promote new terms for the word dementia in Chinese by updating previously common terms for dementia.
Cedric Cheng, Chinese Campaign Officer of Face Dementia at the University of Sydney, said that the program is pushing for the usage of new terms, such as "brain degeneration" and "cognitive impairment," to encourage the Chinese community in Australia to view dementia as a health concern they should not be ashamed of.
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicated that more than 400,000 Australians are living with dementia, with nearly 12,000 people living with dementia in Western Sydney.
"Our expert team has developed resources including a website in Simplified Chinese and a checklist to help people with concerns identify changes and talk about this with their doctors," said Cheng, who also worked with clinicians to bring free educational presentations in the Chinese language to the Western Sydney area.
"We want to raise awareness and encourage Chinese Australians in Western Sydney to 'Face Dementia' rather than ignore the signs," he added. ■