Typologies of loneliness, living alone and social isolation, and their associations with physical and mental health

Bibliographic Data

ID11201003
AuthorsKeruleth J Smith (0000-0002-1323-627X, University of Surrey, corresponding author), Kimberley J Smith, Cilius Victor (0000-0002-4213-3974, Brunel University of London)
Year2019
Volume39
Issue8
Pages1709-1730
Publication date2019-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x18000132
OpenAlexW2785718018
LanguageEN
Citations received112
References cited63

The relationship between living alone, loneliness and social isolation, and how they are associated with health remain contentious. We sought to explore typologies based on shared experiences of loneliness, social isolation and living alone using Latent Class Analysis and determine how these groups may differ in terms of their physical and mental health. We used Wave 7 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 7,032; mean age = 67.3) and responses to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness scale, household composition, participation in social/societal activities plus frequency of contact with friends, family and relatives for the Latent Class Analysis. The optimal number of groups was identified using model-fit criteria. The socio-demographic characteristics of groups and health outcomes were explored using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. We identified a six-cluster typology: Group 1, no loneliness or isolation; Group 2, moderate loneliness; Group 3, living alone; Group 4, moderate isolation; Group 5, moderate loneliness, living alone; and Group 6, high loneliness, moderate isolation (with high likelihood of living alone). Groups experiencing loneliness and/or isolation were more likely to report poorer physical and mental health even after adjusting for socio-demographic confounders, this was particularly notable for Group 6. Our results indicate that different typologies of living alone, loneliness and isolation can be identified using data-driven techniques, and can be differentiated by the number and severity of issues they experience

Isolation (microbiology) · Latent class model · Loneliness · Mental health · Psychiatry · Social isolation · Sociology · Typology · UCLA Loneliness Scale · Aging and Gerontology Research · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology

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