IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i22p8637-d448532.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Giorgi Beridze

    (Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet-Stockholm University, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Alba Ayala

    (National School of Public Health, Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • Oscar Ribeiro

    (Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas

    (Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography (IEGD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 28037 Madrid, Spain)

  • Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez

    (National Centre of Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain
    The Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Vicente Rodríguez-Rodríguez

    (Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography (IEGD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 28037 Madrid, Spain)

  • Fermina Rojo-Pérez

    (Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography (IEGD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 28037 Madrid, Spain)

  • Maria João Forjaz

    (Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain
    National Centre of Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga

    (Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet-Stockholm University, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
    Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgi Beridze & Alba Ayala & Oscar Ribeiro & Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas & Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez & Vicente Rodríguez-Rodríguez & Fermina Rojo-Pérez & Maria João Forjaz & Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, 2020. "Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Associated with Quality of Life in Older Adults? Insights from Northern and Southern Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8637-:d:448532
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8637/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8637/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tanskanen, J. & Anttila, T., 2016. "A prospective study of social isolation, loneliness, and mortality in Finland," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(11), pages 2042-2048.
    2. Howard Litwin, 2010. "Social Networks and Well-being: A Comparison of Older People in Mediterranean and Non-Mediterranean Countries," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(5), pages 599-608.
    3. Allin, S. & Masseria, C. & Mossialos, E., 2009. "Measuring socioeconomic differences in use of health care services by wealth versus by income," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(10), pages 1849-1855.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Paolo Iovino & Ercole Vellone & Nadia Cedrone & Barbara Riegel, 2023. "A Middle-Range Theory of Social Isolation in Chronic Illness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-12, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Joanne Brooke & Maria Clark, 2020. "Older people’s early experience of household isolation and social distancing during COVID‐19," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(21-22), pages 4387-4402, November.
    2. Byoung-Jin Jeon & Kang-Hyun Park, 2022. "The Impact of Social Network Characteristics on Health among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Korea: Application of Social Network Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-9, March.
    3. Cristina Bosch-Farré & Josep Garre-Olmo & Anna Bonmatí-Tomàs & Maria Carme Malagón-Aguilera & Sandra Gelabert-Vilella & Concepció Fuentes-Pumarola & Dolors Juvinyà-Canal, 2018. "Prevalence and related factors of Active and Healthy Ageing in Europe according to two models: Results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Howard Litwin & Michal Levinsky, 2022. "Does personality shape the personal social networks of older Europeans?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 717-727, September.
    5. Jianliang Nie & Rong Fan & Yufeng Wu & Dan Li, 2022. "By Internal Network or by External Network?—Study on the Social Network Mechanism of Reducing the Perception of Old-Age Support Risks of Rural Elders in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    6. Maria Gabriella Melchiorre & Carlos Chiatti & Giovanni Lamura & Francisco Torres-Gonzales & Mindaugas Stankunas & Jutta Lindert & Elisabeth Ioannidi-Kapolou & Henrique Barros & Gloria Macassa & Joaqui, 2013. "Social Support, Socio-Economic Status, Health and Abuse among Older People in Seven European Countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, January.
    7. Sarah Gibney & Mark E. McGovern & Erika Sabbath, 2013. "Social Relationships in Later Life: The Role of Childhood Circumstances," Working Papers 201319, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    8. Pawinee Iamtrakul & Sararad Chayphong & Adrian Yat Wai Lo, 2022. "Exploring the Contribution of Social and Economic Status Factors (SES) to the Development of Learning Cities (LC)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, October.
    9. Kjellsson, Gustav & Clarke, Philip & Gerdtham, Ulf-G., 2014. "Forgetting to remember or remembering to forget: A study of the recall period length in health care survey questions," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 34-46.
    10. Rusi Jaspal & Glynis M Breakwell, 2022. "Socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(1), pages 155-165, February.
    11. Lei, Xiaoyan & Shen, Yan & Smith, James P. & Zhou, Guangsu, 2015. "Do social networks improve Chinese adults’ subjective well-being?," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 6(C), pages 57-67.
    12. Ricardo Rodrigues & Stefania Ilinca & Andrea E. Schmidt, 2018. "Income‐rich and wealth‐poor? The impact of measures of socio‐economic status in the analysis of the distribution of long‐term care use among older people," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 637-646, March.
    13. Silvana Miceli & Laura Maniscalco & Domenica Matranga, 2019. "Social networks and social activities promote cognitive functioning in both concurrent and prospective time: evidence from the SHARE survey," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 145-154, June.
    14. Cheng, Grand H.-L. & Sung, Pildoo & Chan, Angelique & Ma, Stefan & Malhotra, Rahul, 2022. "Transitions between social network profiles and their relation with all-cause mortality among older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    15. Wenran Xia & Jeroen D. H. van Wijngaarden & Robbert Huijsman & Martina Buljac-Samardžić, 2022. "Effect of Receiving Financial Support from Adult Children on Depression among Older Persons and the Mediating Role of Social Participation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, October.
    16. Sözmen, Kaan & Ünal, Belgin, 2016. "Explaining inequalities in Health Care Utilization among Turkish adults: Findings from Health Survey 2008," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(1), pages 100-110.
    17. Joanne Brooke & Debra Jackson, 2020. "Older people and COVID‐19: Isolation, risk and ageism," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2044-2046, July.
    18. Timo Anttila & Kirsikka Selander & Tomi Oinas, 2020. "Disconnected Lives: Trends in Time Spent Alone in Finland," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 711-730, July.
    19. Natasja Schutter & Tjalling J. Holwerda & Hannie C. Comijs & Max L. Stek & Jaap Peen & Jack J. M. Dekker, 2022. "Loneliness, social network size and mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1057-1076, December.
    20. Janko Janković & Sladjana Šiljak & Miloš Erić & Jelena Marinković & Slavenka Janković, 2018. "Inequalities in the utilization of health care services in a transition European country: results from the national population health survey," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(2), pages 261-272, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8637-:d:448532. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.