THE TEMPORAL SEQUENCE OF FRAILTY, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND LONELINESS IN OLDER ADULTS ACROSS 21 YEARS
2024
The Relationship Between Frailty, Social Isolation, and Loneliness in Older Adults
Sample size: 2302
publication
Evidence: high
Author Information
Author(s): Mehrabi Fereshteh, Pomeroy Mary Louise, Cudjoe Thomas, Jenkins Emerald, Dent Elsa, Hoogendijk Emiel
Primary Institution: Concordia University
Hypothesis
Frailty predicts social isolation and loneliness in older adults over time.
Conclusion
Frailty significantly predicts higher levels of social isolation and loneliness in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Frailty was measured using the Frailty Index.
- Loneliness was measured using the 11-item De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale.
- Social isolation was measured using a multi-domain 6-item scale.
- Higher levels of frailty at T4 predicted higher levels of social isolation at T5.
- Higher levels of frailty at T5 predicted higher levels of loneliness at T6.
- The reverse sequence of social isolation or loneliness predicting future frailty was less common.
Takeaway
As people get frail, they often feel more lonely and isolated. It's important to help older adults stay connected.
Methodology
The study used random intercept cross-lagged panel models on data from seven waves of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.
Participant Demographics
Dutch older adults ages 55 and older, with an average age of 72.6 years and 52.1% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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