TRAJECTORIES OF LONELINESS IN LATER LIFE: EVIDENCE FROM A 10-YEAR ENGLISH PANEL STUDY
2024
Trajectories of Loneliness in Later Life
Sample size: 4740
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Gessa Giorgio Di
Primary Institution: University College London
Hypothesis
What are the longitudinal patterns of loneliness among older adults?
Conclusion
The study identified five distinct trajectories of loneliness in older adults, with health and relationship quality being the main drivers.
Supporting Evidence
- 40% of the sample had stable low loneliness, while 11% had stable high loneliness.
- Health and relationship quality were identified as main drivers of loneliness trajectories.
- Respondents with poor health were more likely to experience increasing loneliness.
Takeaway
This study looked at how loneliness changes for older people over time and found that health and the quality of their relationships matter a lot.
Methodology
The study used group-based trajectory modeling and multinomial regression models to analyze data from six waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Participant Demographics
Older adults from England, with a focus on socioeconomic and demographic differences.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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