Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic
ObjectivesLoneliness is a major public health concern. Duration of loneliness is associated with severity of health outcomes, and further research is needed to direct interventions and social policy. This study aimed to identify predictors of the onset vs. the maintenance of loneliness in older adul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1172552/full |
| _version_ | 1797813574339395584 |
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| author | Vania Panes Lundmark Vania Panes Lundmark Maria Josefsson Maria Josefsson Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann |
| author_facet | Vania Panes Lundmark Vania Panes Lundmark Maria Josefsson Maria Josefsson Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann |
| author_sort | Vania Panes Lundmark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesLoneliness is a major public health concern. Duration of loneliness is associated with severity of health outcomes, and further research is needed to direct interventions and social policy. This study aimed to identify predictors of the onset vs. the maintenance of loneliness in older adults before and during the pandemic using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Age, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).MethodsGroupings of persistent, situational, and no loneliness were based on self-reports from an ordinary pre-pandemic SHARE wave and a peri-pandemic telephone interview. Predictors were identified and compared in three hierarchical binary regression analyses, with independent variables added in blocks of geographic region, demographics, pre-pandemic social network, pre-pandemic health, pandemic-related individual, and country level variables.ResultsSelf-reported loneliness levels for the persistent, situational, and no loneliness groups were stable and distinct through 7 years preceding the pre-pandemic baseline measure. Shared predictors were chronic diseases, female sex, depression, and no cohabitant partner. Persistent loneliness was uniquely predicted by low network satisfaction (OR: 2.04), functional limitations (OR: 1.40), and a longer country-level isolation period for older adults (OR: 1.24).ConclusionInterventions may target persons with depression, functional limitations, chronic health issues, and no cohabitant partner. The added burden of the length of isolation on those who are already lonely should be taken into account when employing social policies that target older adults. Further research should distinguish between situational and persistent loneliness, and seek to identify predictors of chronic loneliness onset. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:54:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ba87490fd9c45d783e71534fa27ba84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:54:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ba87490fd9c45d783e71534fa27ba842023-06-02T06:05:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-06-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11725521172552Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemicVania Panes Lundmark0Vania Panes Lundmark1Maria Josefsson2Maria Josefsson3Anna Rieckmann4Anna Rieckmann5Anna Rieckmann6Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenDepartment of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenDepartment of Statistics, Umeå School of Business, Economics, and Statistics (USBE), Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenCentre for Demographic and Ageing Research (CEDAR), Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenUmeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenDepartment of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenInstitut für Psychologie, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg, GermanyObjectivesLoneliness is a major public health concern. Duration of loneliness is associated with severity of health outcomes, and further research is needed to direct interventions and social policy. This study aimed to identify predictors of the onset vs. the maintenance of loneliness in older adults before and during the pandemic using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Age, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).MethodsGroupings of persistent, situational, and no loneliness were based on self-reports from an ordinary pre-pandemic SHARE wave and a peri-pandemic telephone interview. Predictors were identified and compared in three hierarchical binary regression analyses, with independent variables added in blocks of geographic region, demographics, pre-pandemic social network, pre-pandemic health, pandemic-related individual, and country level variables.ResultsSelf-reported loneliness levels for the persistent, situational, and no loneliness groups were stable and distinct through 7 years preceding the pre-pandemic baseline measure. Shared predictors were chronic diseases, female sex, depression, and no cohabitant partner. Persistent loneliness was uniquely predicted by low network satisfaction (OR: 2.04), functional limitations (OR: 1.40), and a longer country-level isolation period for older adults (OR: 1.24).ConclusionInterventions may target persons with depression, functional limitations, chronic health issues, and no cohabitant partner. The added burden of the length of isolation on those who are already lonely should be taken into account when employing social policies that target older adults. Further research should distinguish between situational and persistent loneliness, and seek to identify predictors of chronic loneliness onset.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1172552/fulllongitudinalpredictorslonelinesstransient lonelinesspersistent lonelinesschronic loneliness |
| spellingShingle | Vania Panes Lundmark Vania Panes Lundmark Maria Josefsson Maria Josefsson Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann Anna Rieckmann Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic Frontiers in Psychology longitudinal predictors loneliness transient loneliness persistent loneliness chronic loneliness |
| title | Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in European older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | predictors of loneliness onset and maintenance in european older adults during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | longitudinal predictors loneliness transient loneliness persistent loneliness chronic loneliness |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1172552/full |
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