College of Medical Humanities and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2024 Aug;25(8):105003. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.03.114. Epub 2024 Apr 24.
This study aimed to investigate the bidirectional associations and temporal dynamics between social isolation (SI) and loneliness among older adults.
This is a prospective cohort study.
With the global phenomenon of population aging, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of SI and loneliness among older adults. These factors exert substantial impacts on the health and well-being of this population. Consequently, it is imperative to implement more effective interventions targeting SI and combating loneliness in order to enhance the overall health and well-being of older adults.
Data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) were analyzed, focusing on individuals aged 65 and older. Generalized Cross-Lagged Modeling (GCLM) was used to assess these associations.
The findings reveal significant cross-lagged effects between SI and loneliness over the course of 16 years. Higher levels of SI at 1 time point predict increased loneliness scores in subsequent periods, and greater levels of loneliness at 1 time point predict higher SI scores in future periods. Notably, the impact of SI on loneliness is found to be larger and more enduring compared to the influence of loneliness on SI. These cross-lagged effects persist over an extended period, indicating a long-term reciprocal relationship between SI and loneliness among older adults.
This study provides valuable insights into the bidirectional associations between SI and loneliness among older adults. Given that the effect of SI dominates, the findings suggest that public health strategies aimed at promoting health and well-being should prioritize interventions that enrich older adults' social networks. Emphasizing early interventions aimed at enhancing social networks is essential for promoting healthy aging and overall well-being.
本研究旨在探讨老年人社会隔离（SI）和孤独感之间的双向关联和时间动态。
这是一项前瞻性队列研究。
随着全球人口老龄化现象的出现，老年人中 SI 和孤独感的患病率显著增加。这些因素对这一人群的健康和幸福产生了重大影响。因此，必须实施更有效的干预措施，针对 SI 并对抗孤独感，以提高老年人的整体健康和幸福感。
分析了中国长寿纵向研究（CLHLS）的数据，重点关注 65 岁及以上的个体。使用广义交叉滞后模型（GCLM）评估这些关联。
研究结果显示，SI 和孤独感在 16 年内存在显著的交叉滞后效应。一个时间点上较高的 SI 水平预示着随后时期孤独感评分的增加，而一个时间点上较高的孤独感水平预示着未来时期 SI 评分的增加。值得注意的是，SI 对孤独感的影响比孤独感对 SI 的影响更大且更持久。这些交叉滞后效应持续较长时间，表明老年人的 SI 和孤独感之间存在长期的相互关系。
本研究为老年人 SI 和孤独感之间的双向关联提供了有价值的见解。鉴于 SI 的影响占主导地位，研究结果表明，旨在促进健康和幸福的公共卫生策略应优先考虑促进老年人社交网络的干预措施。强调旨在增强社交网络的早期干预对于促进健康老龄化和整体幸福感至关重要。
