The aim of our recently published study (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228637) was to explore the longitudinal associations between loneliness/social isolation and quality of life (QoL) among older adults from Sweden and Spain participating in the Survey on Health, Aging and Retirement (SHARE). Secondary aims included assessing possible North-South Europe differences in these associations and the potential mediating role of loneliness in the association between social isolation and QoL. To answer our research questions we used multicomponent, validated and harmonized measures of loneliness, social isolation and QoL.
Loneliness and social isolation have been associated with several negative health outcomes in old age. There are several factors that might predispose older individuals to suffer from these phenomena – retirement, loss of societal roles, widowhood, and more recently the restrictions that have accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. The need to look beyond presence/absence of disease when evaluating states of older individuals has been highlighted. One such complex, person-centered measure is QoL, which combines an individual’s physical and psychological health, their values, beliefs and their relationships with each other and the environment.
In Sweden, we found that higher levels of loneliness and social isolation were associated with a decrease in QoL over a two year follow-up. In Spain, we found a stronger association between social isolation and QoL but no association between loneliness and QoL. Loneliness did not attenuate the association between social isolation and QoL in either country.
The results of our study provide additional evidence and insights to European policy-makers and health-care professionals on the importance of preventing loneliness and social isolation for individuals to achieve a healthy aging.
Giorgi Beridze, MD MMsc
Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet-Stockholm University, Sweden
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