Social Disconnectedness, Perceived Isolation, and Health among Older Adults
TLDR
The extent to which social disconnectedness and perceived isolation have distinct associations with physical and mental health among older adults is examined and it is concluded that health researchers need to consider social disconnectednesses and perceived isolatedness simultaneously.Abstract:
Previous research has identified a wide range of indicators of social isolation that pose health risks, including living alone, having a small social network, infrequent participation in social activities, and feelings of loneliness. However multiple forms of isolation are rarely studied together making it difficult to determine which aspects of isolation are most deleterious for health. Using population-based data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, we combine multiple indicators of social isolation into scales assessing social disconnectedness (e.g., small social network, infrequent participation in social activities) and perceived isolation (e.g., loneliness, perceived lack of social support). We examine the extent to which social disconnectedness and perceived isolation have distinct associations with physical and mental health among older adults. Results indicate that social disconnectedness and perceived isolation are independently associated with lower levels of self-rated physical health. However, the association between disconnectedness and mental health may operate through the strong relationship between perceived isolation and mental health. We conclude that health researchers need to consider social disconnectedness and perceived isolation simultaneously.read more
Citations
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Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality in older men and women
TL;DR: It was found that mortality was higher among more socially isolated and more lonely participants, and the effect of loneliness was not independent of demographic characteristics or health problems and did not contribute to the risk associated with social isolation.
Journal ArticleDOI
Perceived social isolation makes me sad: 5-year cross-lagged analyses of loneliness and depressive symptomatology in the Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study.
TL;DR: Cross-lagged analyses indicated that loneliness predicted subsequent changes in depressive symptomatology, but not vice versa, and that this temporal association was not attributable to demographic variables, objective social isolation, dispositional negativity, stress, or social support.
Journal ArticleDOI
Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysis
Ziggi Ivan Santini,Paul E. Jose,Erin York Cornwell,Ai Koyanagi,Line Nielsen,Carsten Hinrichsen,Charlotte Riebeling Meilstrup,Katrine Rich Madsen,Vibeke Koushede +8 more
TL;DR: Social disconnectedness predicted higher subsequent perceived isolation, which in turn predicted higher depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms, and the reverse pathways were statistically supported as well, suggesting bi-directional influences.
Journal ArticleDOI
Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review.
Emilie Courtin,Martin Knapp +1 more
TL;DR: A paucity of research focusing on at-risk sub-groups and in the area of interventions is found, with a focus on the definitions and measurements of the two concepts, associations and causal mechanisms, differences across population groups and interventions.
Journal ArticleDOI
Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Behavioral and Biological Health Indicators in Older Adults
TL;DR: Both social isolation and loneliness were associated with a greater risk of being inactive, smoking, as well as reporting multiple health-risk behaviors, and social isolation was also positively associated with blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen levels.
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