scholarly journals Relationship of smoking with current and future social isolation and loneliness: 12-year follow-up of older adults in England

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 100302
Author(s):  
Keir EJ Philip ◽  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Michael I Polkey ◽  
Jamie Brown ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Relationship Of

scholarly journals Social isolation, rather than loneliness, is associated with cognitive decline in older adults: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Bin Yu ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Yongjie Chen ◽  
Xiaohua Jia
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mental Status ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
Confounding Variables

Abstract Background Social isolation and loneliness have each been associated with cognitive decline, but most previous research is limited to Western populations. This study examined the relationships of social isolation and loneliness on cognitive function among Chinese older adults. Methods This study used two waves of data (2011 and 2015) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and analyses were restricted to those respondents aged 50 and older. Social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive function were measured at baseline. Follow-up measures on cognitive function were obtained for 7761 participants (mean age = 60.97, s.d. = 7.31; male, 50.8%). Lagged dependent variable models adjusted for confounding factors were used to evaluate the association between baseline isolation, loneliness, and cognitive function at follow-up. Results Loneliness was significantly associated with the cognitive decline at follow-up (episodic memory: β = −0.03, p < 0.01; mental status: β = −0.03, p < 0.01) in the partially adjusted models. These associations became insignificant after additional confounding variables (chronic diseases, health behaviors, disabilities, and depressive symptoms) were taken into account (all p > 0.05). By contrast, social isolation was significantly associated with decreases in all cognitive function measures at follow-up (episodic memory: β = −0.05, p < 0.001; mental status: β = −0.03, p < 0.01) even after controlling for loneliness and all confounding variables. Conclusions Social isolation is associated with cognitive decline in Chinese older adults, and the relationships are independent of loneliness. These findings expand our knowledge about the links between social relationships and the cognitive function in non-Western populations.

scholarly journals Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Associated with Quality of Life in Older Adults? Insights from Northern and Southern Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8637
Author(s):  
Giorgi Beridze ◽  
Alba Ayala ◽  
Oscar Ribeiro ◽  
Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas ◽  
Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Standard Deviation Increase ◽  
The North ◽  
Health Aging ◽  
Context Specific

Purpose: Loneliness and social isolation have detrimental effects on health in old age; however, the prospective associations with quality of life (QoL) remain unclear. Furthermore, despite the existence of a European north-south gradient in the distribution of loneliness and social isolation, little is known whether the associations are context-specific. We investigated the relationships between loneliness, social isolation and QoL of older adults residing in the North (Sweden) and South (Spain) of Europe. Methods: Study sample consisted of 2995 Swedish and 4154 Spanish older adults who participated in waves six and seven of the Study on Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Loneliness and social isolation were measured at the baseline, and QoL was measured at the baseline and follow-up using CASP-12. Prospective associations were assessed via multivariate linear regression. Results: In Sweden, subjects with higher vs. lower loneliness had 1.01 (95% CI: −1.55, −0.40) units lower QoL, while every standard deviation increase in social isolation was associated with a 0.27 (95% CI: −0.42, −0.09)-unit decrease in QoL. In Spain, every standard deviation increase in social isolation was associated with a 0.66 (95% CI: −1.11, −0.22)-unit decrease in QoL. The association was stronger in subjects aged ≤65 years old and those with no chronic diseases. The association with loneliness was not statistically significant in Spain. Conclusion: Loneliness and social isolation are prospectively associated with decreased QoL among older adults, yet the associations are contextually bound. Future interventions should target both exposures, among others, in order to increase QoL in this group.

scholarly journals Mitigating the psychological impacts of COVID-19 restrictions: The Behavioural Activation in Social Isolation (BASIL) pilot randomised controlled trial to prevent depression and loneliness among older people with long term conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Gilbody ◽  
Elizabeth Littlewood ◽  
Dean McMillan ◽  
Carolyn Chew-Graham ◽  
Della Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Behavioural Activation ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Psychological Impacts

Background Older adults with long-term conditions have become more socially isolated (often due to advice to shield to protect them from COVID-19) and are thus at particular risk of depression and loneliness. There is a need for brief scalable psychosocial interventions to mitigate the psychological impacts of social isolation. Behavioural Activation is a plausible intervention, but a trial is needed. Methods We undertook an external randomised pilot trial (ISRCTN94091479) designed to test recruitment, retention and engagement with, and the acceptability and preliminary effects of the intervention. Participants aged ≥ 65 years with two or more long-term conditions were recruited between June and October 2020. Behavioural Activation was offered to intervention participants (n=47), and control participants received usual care (n=49). Findings Remote recruitment was possible and 45/47 (95.7%) randomised to the intervention completed one or more sessions (median 6 sessions). 90 (93.8%) completed the one month follow-up, and 86 (89.6%) completed the three month follow-up. The between-group comparison for the primary clinical outcome at one month was an adjusted between group mean difference of -0.50 PHQ-9 points (95% CI -2.01 to 1.01), but only a small number of participants had completed the intervention at this point. At three months, the PHQ-9 adjusted mean difference was 0.19 (95% CI -1.36 to 1.75). When we examined loneliness, the between-group difference in the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness scale at one month was 0.28 (95% CI -0.51 to 1.06), and there was statistically significant between group difference at three months (-0.87; 95% CI -1.56 to -0.18). Participants who withdrew had minimal depressive symptoms at entry. Interpretation Behavioural Activation is a plausible intervention to mitigate the psychological impacts of COVID-19 isolation for older adults. The intervention can be delivered remotely and at scale, but should be reserved for older adults with evidence of depressive symptoms. The significant reduction in loneliness is unlikely to be a chance finding, and this will now be confirmed in a fully powered RCT. Funding This study was funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) RP-PG-0217-20006

scholarly journals Associations of Loneliness and Social Isolation with Healthspan and Lifespan in the US Health and Retirement Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L Crowe ◽  
Benjamin W Domingue ◽  
Gloria Hu ◽  
Katherine M Keyes ◽  
Dayoon Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Us ◽  
Retirement Study

Background. Loneliness and social isolation are emerging public health challenges for aging populations. Methods. We followed N=11,305 US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants aged 50-95 from 2006-2014 to measure persistence of exposure to loneliness and social isolation. We tested associations of longitudinal loneliness and social-isolation phenotypes with disability, morbidity, mortality, and biological aging through 2018. Results. During follow-up, 18% of older adults met criteria for loneliness and, for 6%, symptoms persisted across two or more follow-up assessments. For social isolation, these fractions were 21% and 8%. HRS participants who experienced loneliness and social isolation were at increased risk for disease, disability, and mortality. Older adults experiencing persistent loneliness were at a 59% increased hazard of mortality compared to those who were never lonely. For social isolation, the increase was 28%. Effect-sizes were somewhat larger for counts of prevalent activity limitations and somewhat smaller for counts of prevalent chronic diseases. Covariate adjustment for socioeconomic and psychological risks attenuated but did not fully explain associations. Older adults who experienced loneliness and social isolation also exhibited physiological indications of advanced biological aging (Cohen's-d for persistent loneliness and social isolation=0.26 and 0.21, respectively). For loneliness, but not social isolation, persistence of symptoms was associated with increased risk. Conclusion. Deficits in social connectedness prevalent in a national sample of older adults in the US were associated with morbidity, disability, and mortality and with more advanced biological aging. Bolstering social connection to interrupt experiences of loneliness may promote healthy aging.

scholarly journals Interventions against Social Isolation of Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Existing Literature and Interventions

Geriatrics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Jaya Manjunath ◽  
Nandita Manoj ◽  
Tania Alchalabi
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Follow Up Studies ◽  
Health Studies

Social isolation is widespread among older adults, especially those confined to living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. We completed a systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of 20 interventions used to combat social isolation in older adults. A scoring mechanism based on the Joanna Briggs Appraisal Checklist was utilized to determine the quality of the studies. Searches were conducted in “MedLine”, “PubMed”, “PsycINFO” and “Aging and Mental Health”. Studies completed on group and person-centered interventions against social isolation were the highest quality as the social isolation experienced by older adults decreased after the intervention, and this effect continued in follow-up studies. Other interventions such as volunteering-based interventions also alleviated isolation; however, follow-up studies were not completed to determine long-term efficacy. Given the increase in social isolation faced by older persons during the pandemic, our review can be utilized to create effective interventions to reduce social isolation.

Relationship of Loneliness and Social Isolation With Self-Care Ability Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Reza Shamlou ◽  
Nasrin Nikpeyma ◽  
Shahzad Pashaeipour ◽  
Leyla Sahebi ◽  
Zahra Mehrgou
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Relationship Of

scholarly journals Association between social isolation and outpatient follow-up in older adults following emergency department discharge

2021 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 104298
Author(s):  
Nia A. Cayenne ◽  
Gwen Costa Jacobsohn ◽  
Courtney M.C. Jones ◽  
Eva H. DuGoff ◽  
Amy L. Cochran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Emergency Department Discharge

Reducing loneliness among older adults through providing free travel access: A population-based assessment of social isolation and free bus travel in older adults in England

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Population Group ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
The Past ◽  
Frequency Of Use

Objective: To investigate associations of ownership and use of concessionary bus passes (CBP) with social isolation and loneliness among older adults in England.Methods: In 2012/13, participants (n=4,726, age ≥62y) reported whether they had a CBP and if yes, frequency of use in the past month (0/1-5/≥6 times). Social isolation and loneliness were assessed in 2012/13 and 2016/17. Logistic regression tested cross-sectional and prospective associations, adjusted for socio-demographics.Results: CBP ownership was cross-sectionally associated with reduced odds of social isolation (OR=0.68, 95% CI 0.55-0.84) and loneliness (OR=0.73, 95% CI 0.58-0.91). Among CBP owners, those who had used it ≥6 times had lower odds of being isolated than those who hadn’t used it at all (OR=0.73, 95% CI 0.60-0.89). Longitudinally, CBP ownership was associated with reduced odds of loneliness (OR=0.68, 95% CI 0.49-0.94) at four-year follow-up. A similar effect size was observed for social isolation (OR=0.69, 95% CI 0.46-1.04) but this did not reach significance (p=0.074). Frequency of use was not significantly associated with isolation or loneliness.Conclusion: The CBP scheme in England facilitates social interaction for older adults. CBPs may present a promising initiative for tackling social isolation which is currently a particularly prominent issue in this population group.

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