Dataset Information

Loneliness, social isolation, and health complaints among older people: A population-based study from the “Good Aging in Skane (GAS)” project

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To explore associations between perceived loneliness, social isolation, and health complaints among older people.

Methods

5804 participants from the Swedish population study “Good Aging in Skåne” were included. Structured interviews and questionnaires were used to assess perceived loneliness, social isolation, 30 somatic and mental-health related symptoms, socio-demographics, lifestyle, and health. The mentioned symptoms were divided into seven symptom domains: depressive, tension, gastrointestinal- and urinary, musculoskeletal, metabolic, cardiopulmonary, and head-related symptoms. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess associations between reported symptoms and degree of perceived loneliness and social isolation. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to investigate associations between the prevalence of symptoms in the symptom domains and perceived loneliness and social isolation.

Results

60% of the participants reported feeling lonely at least occasionally. Social isolation was noted by 6%. Higher levels of perceived loneliness were associated to an increased number of reported symptoms. Lonely participants had a higher prevalence of symptoms in all investigated symptom domains, ranging from 67% (gastrointestinal-urinary) to 96% (depressive) for the group experiencing constant loneliness.

Conclusions

Perceived loneliness is a common condition among older people in modern day Sweden and potentially harmful for their subjective well-being and health. Highlights • 60% of the participants reported feeling lonely at least occasionally.• 6% of the participants were socially isolated.• Higher levels of perceived loneliness were associated to an increased number of reported symptoms.

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PROVIDER: S-EPMC9649938 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundBefriending is a popular way in which to intervene to combat loneliness and social isolation among older people. However, there is a need to improve our understanding about how these interventions work, for whom and in which contexts, to make the best use of the increasing investment in the provision and delivery of befriending services.MethodsA realist evaluation was undertaken as it focuses on uncovering causal processes and interactions between mechanisms and contextual characteristics. Five case studies of befriending programmes in Northern Ireland were studied, reflecting variation in contextual variables, service user and provider characteristics. Data was collected via service documentation and semi-structured interviews (n = 46) with stakeholders involved in the delivery and receipt of befriending interventions.ResultsEight initial programme theories were generated, which were 'tested' in the case study analysis to uncover context-mechanism-outcome relationships. Mechanisms identified included reciprocity, empathy, autonomy, and privacy which were triggered in different contexts to support the alleviation of loneliness and social isolation. Reciprocity was 'triggered' in contexts where service users and befrienders shared characteristics, the befriender was a volunteer and befriending took the form of physical companionship. Contexts characterised in terms of shared experiences between befriender and service user triggered empathy. Autonomy was triggered in contexts where befriending relationships were delivered long-term and did not focus on a pre-defined set of priorities. Privacy was triggered in contexts where service users had a cognitive/sensory impairment and received one-to-one delivery.ConclusionThis study improves understanding about how and why befriending interventions work. Findings indicate that services should be tailored to the needs of service users and take into consideration characteristics including mobility, impairments e.g. physical, sensory and/or cognitive, as well as the influence of service characteristics including payment for befrienders, fixed/long-term befriending relationship, one-to-one support and the impact of non-verbal communication via face-to-face delivery.