Understanding the Effect of Loneliness on Quality of Life in Older Adults from Longitudinal Approaches
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Aim: To study the longitudinal relationship between loneliness and quality of life (QoL) in adults to identify key mechanisms to better design future psychosocial interventions. Method: 13,222 participants from three consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), aged 65 or older, 56.3% women. They were analyzed using cross-lagged panel model (CLPM), random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), and multi-group models disaggregated by gender. Results: The RI-CLPM provided a better fit than the CLPM. Both models showed the stability of QoL and loneliness. All autoregressive paths were significant, and a negative association between concurrent QoL and loneliness was observed across all waves. The CLPM supported a reciprocal relationship, while the RI-CLPM only confirmed the effects of loneliness on QoL. Women reported higher levels of loneliness and poorer QoL, but no gender differences were identified in the longitudinal association. Conclusions: Addressing loneliness in early stages could be a better preventive measure to promote quality of life in both genders.
Source: Psychosocial Intervention
DOI: 10.5093/pi2024a11
Authors: Zaira Torres, Amparo Oliver, José M. Tomás
Institution: Universitat de València
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Awards: Social Sciences & Humanities Open Cloud, Cohesion in further developing and innovating SHARE across all 28 member countries, Non-intended health, economic and social effects of the COVID-19 epidemic control decisions: Lessons from SHARE (SHARE-COVID19), Enhancing the Comparability of SHARE with HRS and ELSA
OpenAlex ID: W4398150475