Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.

To assess the relationship between various social isolation indicators and loneliness, and to examine the differential associations that social isolation indicators, loneliness have with depressive symptoms.Baseline data for 1,919 adults (aged 21 years and above) from a representative health survey...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lixia Ge, Chun Wei Yap, Reuben Ong, Bee Hoon Heng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5568112?pdf=render
_version_ 1818854961725833216
author Lixia Ge
Chun Wei Yap
Reuben Ong
Bee Hoon Heng
author_facet Lixia Ge
Chun Wei Yap
Reuben Ong
Bee Hoon Heng
author_sort Lixia Ge
collection DOAJ
description To assess the relationship between various social isolation indicators and loneliness, and to examine the differential associations that social isolation indicators, loneliness have with depressive symptoms.Baseline data for 1,919 adults (aged 21 years and above) from a representative health survey in the Central region of Singapore was used for this study. The association between social isolation indicators (marital status, living arrangement, social connectedness with relatives and friends) and loneliness (the three-item UCLA Loneliness) were assessed, and their differential associations with depressive symptoms (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) were examined using multiple linear regression, controling for relevant covariates.There was significant overlap between loneliness and social isolation. Social connectedness with relatives and friends were mildly correlated with loneliness score (|r| = 0.14~0.16). Social isolation in terms of weak connectedness with relatives and with friends and loneliness were associated with depressive symptoms even after controling for age, gender, employment status and other covariates. The association of loneliness with depressive symptoms (β = 0.33) was independent of and stronger than that of any social isolation indicators (|β| = 0.00~0.07).The results of the study establishes a significant and unique association of different social isolation indicators and loneliness with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling adults aged 21 and above.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T08:01:02Z
format Article
id doaj.art-631f79603c1347fcb597a155af38c7d9
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T08:01:02Z
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-631f79603c1347fcb597a155af38c7d92022-12-21T20:29:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01128e018214510.1371/journal.pone.0182145Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.Lixia GeChun Wei YapReuben OngBee Hoon HengTo assess the relationship between various social isolation indicators and loneliness, and to examine the differential associations that social isolation indicators, loneliness have with depressive symptoms.Baseline data for 1,919 adults (aged 21 years and above) from a representative health survey in the Central region of Singapore was used for this study. The association between social isolation indicators (marital status, living arrangement, social connectedness with relatives and friends) and loneliness (the three-item UCLA Loneliness) were assessed, and their differential associations with depressive symptoms (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) were examined using multiple linear regression, controling for relevant covariates.There was significant overlap between loneliness and social isolation. Social connectedness with relatives and friends were mildly correlated with loneliness score (|r| = 0.14~0.16). Social isolation in terms of weak connectedness with relatives and with friends and loneliness were associated with depressive symptoms even after controling for age, gender, employment status and other covariates. The association of loneliness with depressive symptoms (β = 0.33) was independent of and stronger than that of any social isolation indicators (|β| = 0.00~0.07).The results of the study establishes a significant and unique association of different social isolation indicators and loneliness with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling adults aged 21 and above.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5568112?pdf=render
spellingShingle Lixia Ge
Chun Wei Yap
Reuben Ong
Bee Hoon Heng
Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
PLoS ONE
title Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
title_full Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
title_fullStr Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
title_full_unstemmed Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
title_short Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study.
title_sort social isolation loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms a population based study
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5568112?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT lixiage socialisolationlonelinessandtheirrelationshipswithdepressivesymptomsapopulationbasedstudy
AT chunweiyap socialisolationlonelinessandtheirrelationshipswithdepressivesymptomsapopulationbasedstudy
AT reubenong socialisolationlonelinessandtheirrelationshipswithdepressivesymptomsapopulationbasedstudy
AT beehoonheng socialisolationlonelinessandtheirrelationshipswithdepressivesymptomsapopulationbasedstudy