Loneliness appeared to be a risk factor associated with elder mistreatment in this older Chinese population. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding. An exploration of Chinese culture and tradition may yield insight into shaping a prevention framework for mistreatment of older Chinese people.

Lassa fever (LF), a hemorrhagic fever endemic to West Africa, has an incidence of approximately 500,000 cases per year. This study evaluated hearing loss and other sequelae following LF. Methods: This case-control study enrolled laboratory-confirmed LF survivors, non-LF febrile controls and matched-community controls with no history of LF or recent hospitalization for a febrile illness. Study participants completed a symptom questionnaire. Pure-tone audiometry was completed by a subset of participants. Results: A total of 147 subjects aged 3-66 years (mean, 23.3) were enrolled. LF survivors were significantly more likely to report balance difficulties (55% vs. 20%, p < 0.001), hair loss (32% vs. 7%, p < 0.001), difficulty speaking (19% vs. 1%, p < 0.001), social isolation (50% vs. 0%, p < 0.001), and hearing loss (17% vs. 1%, p = 0.002) in comparison with matched-community controls. Similar trends were noted in comparison with febrile controls, although these findings were non-significant. Fifty subjects completed audiometry. Audiometry found that LF survivors had significantly more bilateral hearing loss in comparison with matched-community controls (30% vs. 4%, p = 0.029). Conclusion:This study characterized the sequelae of LF and highlighted the need for increased access to hearing care in West Africa.

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