Loneliness and health in older adults: a multivariate analysis of Spanish Red Cross users living alone
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objectives This study investigated the relationships between loneliness, social relations (family and non-family), and perceived health in older adults living alone in Spain.Methods The sample included 306 Spanish older adults aged 65–95 (M = 78.08, SD = 6.95) who lived alone and were Red Cross users. Bivariate relationships were tested before conducting a Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis to examine the impact of both objective and subjective components of loneliness on perceived health.Results Older participants showed worse health status, less frequent and less close relationships with their family and friends, and a higher risk of non-family isolation. Additionally, participants with lower perceived health were found to have both less frequent and closer family and non-family relations, a higher sense of loneliness, and were older. Multivariate analysis revealed that non-family relations, feelings of loneliness, and age significantly predicted 17.9% of the explained variance in perceived health (adjusted R2 = .18, p < .001).Conclusions This research highlights the importance of non-family relations in preventing and mitigating feelings of loneliness and improving older adult’s health. These findings are particularly important as they inform the development of effective interventions and strategies to manage loneliness, ultimately enhancing the quality of care for older individuals living alone. Such strategies should be designed to increase opportunities to expand the non-family networks.
Source: Australian Psychologist
Institution: Universidad de Huelva
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4404685880