Interventions for reducing loneliness

An umbrella review of intervention studies

Bibliographic Data

ID14947993
AuthorsNicola Veronese (0000-0002-9328-289X, Geriatric Unit Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics University of Palermo Palermo Italy, corresponding author), Daiana Galvano (XIV Corso di Formazione Specifica in Medicina GeneraleScuola di Sanità Pubblica (SSP)Veneto Region Venice Italy), Francesca D’Antiga (Relaxxi SRL Noale, Venice Italy), Chiara Vecchiato (Codess Sociale SRL Spinea, Venice Italy), Eva Furegon (Codess Sociale SRL Spinea, Venice Italy), Raffaella Allocco (Social Service Noale City Noale, Venice Italy), Lee Smith (0000-0002-0556-7335, The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge UK), Giovanni Gelmini (Azienda USL Parma Italy), Pietro Gareri (0000-0003-4277-3426, Center for Cognitive Disorders and Dementia ‐ Catanzaro Lido ASP Catanzaro Catanzaro Italy), Marco Solmi (0000-0003-4877-7233, Neurosciences Department University of Padua Italy), Lin Yang (0000-0002-1698-6666, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Alberta Health Services Calgary AB Canada), Marco Trabucchi (0000-0002-4947-7112, University Tor Vergata Rome Italy), Diego De Leo (0000-0001-8255-6480, Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention Griffith University Mt Gravatt Campus Australia), Jacopo Demurtas (0000-0003-3001-8546, Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Modena Italy)
Year2021
Volume29
Issue5
Pagese89-e96
Publication date2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth & Social Care in the Community (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0966-0410 • E-ISSN: 1365-2524
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hsc.13248
PMID33278311
OpenAlexW3113109421
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited35

Loneliness is a common phenomenon associated with several negative health outcomes. Current knowledge regarding interventions for reducing loneliness in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is conflicting. The aim of the present work is to provide an overview of interventions to reduce loneliness, using an umbrella review of previously published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We searched major databases from database inception to 31 March 2020 for RCTs comparing active versus non-active interventions for reducing loneliness. For each intervention, random-effects summary effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. For significant outcomes (p-value < 0.05), the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) tool was used, grading the evidence from very low to high. From 211 studies initially evaluated, seven meta-analyses for seven different types of interventions were included (median number of RCTs: 8; median number of participants: 600). Three interventions were statistically significant for reducing loneliness, that is, meditation/mindfulness, social cognitive training and social support. When applying GRADE criteria, meditation/mindfulness (mean difference, MD = -6.03; 95% CI: -9.33 to -2.73; very low strength of the evidence), social cognitive training (8 RCTs; SMD = -0.49; 95% CI: -0.84 to -0.13; very low strength of the evidence) and social support (9 RCTs; SMD = -0.13; 95% CI: -0.25 to -0.01; low strength of the evidence) significantly decreased the perception of loneliness. In conclusion, three intervention types may be utilised for reducing loneliness, but they are supported by a low/very low certainty of evidence indicating the need for future large-scale RCTs to further investigate the efficacy of interventions for reducing loneliness

Loneliness · Meditation · Meta-analysis · Mindfulness · Physical therapy · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychotherapist · Randomized controlled trial · Social support · Strictly standardized mean difference · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Health disparities and outcomes · Health, psychology, and well-being · Medicine · Psychology · Internal Medicine

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