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Loneliness and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Findings From the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

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  • Bao-Liang Zhong
  • Shu-Lin Chen
  • Xin Tu
  • Yeates Conwell

Abstract

Objectives:To examine the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function and to explore the mediating role of physical health on the loneliness–cognition relationship in Chinese older adults (OAs).Method:Data came from a nationally representative sample of 14,199 Chinese OAs (aged 65+) from 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A latent variable cross-lagged panel model combined with mediation analysis was used to determine the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function and the mediating effect of increase in the number of chronic conditions (ΔNCCs) on the ascertained loneliness–cognition relationship.Results:Severe loneliness at prior assessment points was significantly associated with poorer cognitive function at subsequent assessments, and vice versa. The ΔNCCs partially mediated this prospective reciprocal relationships, accounting for 2.58% of the total effect of loneliness on cognition and 4.44% of the total effect of cognition on loneliness, respectively.Discussion:Loneliness may predict subsequent cognitive decline, and vice versa. This loneliness–cognition relationship is partially explained by their impact on physical health. Multidisciplinary interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and cognitive decline per se and their associated risk factors as well as improving chronic illness management would be beneficial for emotional well-being and cognitive health in OAs.

Suggested Citation

  • Bao-Liang Zhong & Shu-Lin Chen & Xin Tu & Yeates Conwell, 2017. "Loneliness and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Findings From the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(1), pages 120-128.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:72:y:2017:i:1:p:120-128.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbw037
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Aparna Shankar & Tara Kidd, 2022. "Loneliness in Older Indian Dyads," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    2. Ella Cohn-Schwartz & Rennie Joshi & Leslie A. McClure, 2023. "The Associations of Loneliness and Social Support with Cognitive Impairment among Middle-Aged and Older Individuals with Diabetes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-10, January.
    3. María Luisa Delgado-Losada & Jaime Bouhaben & Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo & Aránzazu Aparicio & Ana María López-Parra, 2022. "Loneliness, Depression, and Genetics in the Elderly: Prognostic Factors of a Worse Health Condition?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-29, November.
    4. Jit Hui Tan & Edimansyah Abdin & Shazana Shahwan & Yunjue Zhang & Rajeswari Sambasivam & Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar & Rathi Mahendran & Hong Choon Chua & Siow Ann Chong & Mythily Subramaniam, 2019. "Happiness and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults: Investigating the Mediational Roles of Disability, Depression, Social Contact Frequency, and Loneliness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Zi Zhou & Fanzhen Mao & Wei Zhang & Samuel D. Towne & Ping Wang & Ya Fang, 2019. "The Association Between Loneliness and Cognitive Impairment among Older Men and Women in China: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-11, August.
    6. Dan Liu & Guirong Cheng & Lina An & Xuguang Gan & Yulian Wu & Bo Zhang & Sheng Hu & Yan Zeng & Liang Wu, 2019. "Public Knowledge about Dementia in China: A National WeChat-Based Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Puxiang Ren & Jakob Emiliussen & Regina Christiansen & Søren Engelsen & Søren Harnow Klausen, 2022. "Filial Piety, Generativity and Older Adults’ Wellbeing and Loneliness in Denmark and China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 3069-3090, October.
    8. Jin Liu & Scott Rozelle & Qing Xu & Ning Yu & Tianshu Zhou, 2019. "Social Engagement and Elderly Health in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.

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