How the Congolese young people consider their elderly

Background. The traditional image of the African family that has long grant a place of choice to the elderly does match maybe any more the reality of today The WHO report on violence and health 2002 and some studies carried out in other African countries suggest that elder abuse also exists in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective. To describe how the young Congolese adults consider their elderly and mistreatments that can result. Method. A cross sectional study was realized between January and April, 2008 with 300 youth and adults aged 15 to 55 years (203 <= 25 years old), living in Brazzaville or in Pointe-Noire. The sample of 300 people was constituted according to the method of non-probability sampling. The data collection was made on the ground by state employees of the Ministry of Health, social affairs and family by means of a pre-established questionnaire containing open and closed questions. Results. Youth and adults have contrasted and contradictory representations of the elderly In 70% of the cases they said have good relationships with the elderly and qualified them as wise persons and as models but, conversely more than 50% of them found them unwanted and disturbing. Witchcraft accusations are frequent with often serious consequences. Conclusion. Social transformations dispossess little by little the elderly people of their status and their prerogatives in Congo-Brazzaville. They come along with a change of look and behavior of the young adults towards them. Elder abuse in Congo-Brazzaville is an underestimated problem insufficiently denounced and fought.