A perspective on the sense of loneliness and its determinants in Iranian older people

• Published in: Psychogeriatrics Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 252 - 258
• Main Authors: Moshtagh, Mozhgan, Salmani, Fatemeh, Moodi, Mitra, Miri, Mohammad R., Sharifi, Farshad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.03.2022; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Aging; Children; emotional and social loneliness; Female; Humans; Iran; Loneliness; Loneliness - psychology; Male; Middle Aged; Older people; Physical activity; Prospective Studies; psychosocial needs; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Questionnaires; Social interactions; social support; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women; Iran; social support; older people; Iran; emotional and social loneliness; psychosocial needs
• ISSN: 1346-3500; 1479-8301; 1479-8301
• DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12809

Background The sense of loneliness is one of the common problems of older people and their quality of life, and is affected by many factors such as personal resources, gender, health condition, and age. This study investigates the determinants of the sense of loneliness between older men and women in Birjand. Methods This study was a part of the community‐based prospective cohort study of the Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS). Individuals over 60 years of age and their families (selected by random cluster sampling) were assessed through structured interviews with questionnaires such as Patient Health Questionnaire, Short‐Form‐12, Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire, loneliness, and social support questions. Results The mean age of the participants in the study was 68.59 ± 6.72, and 53.2% were women. Based on the findings of pathway analysis, the most critical determinants of loneliness in older men and women were the number of children (total effect = −0.112, P = 0.006) and mood, respectively (total effect = 0.142, P < 0.001). According to results, older people with fewer children feel lonelier. Conclusion Compared with men, emotional loneliness is more common in older women. Older women, who lost their husbands, suffer from loneliness, mental health disorders, and low quality of life.