Five-year changes in loneliness and mental health among adults 41–85 years
The Doetinchem Cohort Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11174391 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tijmen Maas (Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands), Gerrie-Cor Herber (Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands), W M Monique Verschuren (0000-0003-2134-4227, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands), H Susan J Picavet (0000-0002-6895-165X, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 79 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 625-630 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0143-005X • E-ISSN: 1470-2738 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/jech-2024-222099 |
| PMID | 40169238 |
| OpenAlex | W4409049440 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
BACKGROUND: Both loneliness and mental health represent important public health themes with stable or even worsening population figures. The association between loneliness and mental health is cross-sectionally well-established, but longitudinal studies are scarce. The aim of this study is to explore the individual changes in loneliness and mental health and the relation between these changes. METHODS: We used data from wave 5 (years: 2007-2012, n: 4016) and wave 6 (years: 2013-2017, n: 3437) of the Doetinchem Cohort Study, consisting of participants aged 41-86 years. Loneliness was measured using the De Jong-Gierveld 6-item Loneliness Scale and mental health was measured with the 5-item Mental Health Inventory. We assessed changes in loneliness and mental health over a 5-year period. Generalised estimating equations and linear regression were performed to determine the longitudinal association. Associations were adjusted for various sociodemographic, lifestyle and health factors. RESULTS: Over a 5-year period, 23.4% experienced a change in loneliness and 9.7% in mental health.Higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with poor mental health both cross-sectionally and over time (β:-3.56, 95% CI: -3.79 to -3.32). Increasing feelings of loneliness were associated with worsening mental health, and decreasing feelings of loneliness were associated with improving mental health (β:-2.35, 95% CI: -2.61 to -2.08). CONCLUSION: The high rate of individual changes in loneliness, combined with the association between changes in loneliness and changes in mental health, shows a possible potential in improving poor mental health by designing public health interventions aimed at reducing feelings of loneliness
Cohort · Environmental health · Feeling · Loneliness · Longitudinal study · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Public health · UCLA Loneliness Scale · Clinical Psychology · Health disparities and outcomes · Health, psychology, and well-being · Medicine · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Psychology · Gerontology
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| Highly cited | No |
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