Francophones living with HIV/AIDS in Ontario: The unknown reality of an invisible cultural minority
Year:
2012
Author :
Volume and number:
, 24
Collection:
, 5-6
Journal:
, AIDS Care
Pages :
, 658-664
Abstract
A strong body of evidence demonstrates that education, prevention and intervention, in the context of HIV/ AIDS, should take ethno-racial diversity into account. The current research focuses on the cultural sensitivity manifested by AIDS service organisation (ASO) professionals towards Francophone minority persons living with HIV/AIDS (Francophone PHAs) in the two main urban centres of Ontario: Ottawa and Toronto. More specifically, this qualitative research will describe two different points of view: Francophone PHA service users (n = 17) and ASO professionals (n = 12). Data were collected from multiple focus groups and analysed using a phenomenological methodology. The analysis revealed that an important difference exists in the perceptions of language as an integral part of ethno-racial diversity. For ASO professionals, language is perceived as a simple tool of communication. ForFrancophones livingwith HIV/AIDS, however, language is perceived as a way to convey sensitivity to their cultural reality and a full recognition of their Canadian citizenship. This research showed that cultural sensitivity should include a linguistic aspect when it comes to health-related services, especially in the context of an officially bilingual country.
Theme :
FrancophonesLinguistic minoritiesOntarioHealth and Wellness
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