Loneliness and associated factors among middle-aged and older adults: cross-sectional and longitudinal survey results from the HAALSI cohort in South Africa
Issued Date
2024-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
13607863
eISSN
13646915
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85192732007
Journal Title
Aging and Mental Health
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Aging and Mental Health (2024)
Suggested Citation
Pengpid S., Peltzer K. Loneliness and associated factors among middle-aged and older adults: cross-sectional and longitudinal survey results from the HAALSI cohort in South Africa. Aging and Mental Health (2024). doi:10.1080/13607863.2024.2345777 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/98375
Title
Loneliness and associated factors among middle-aged and older adults: cross-sectional and longitudinal survey results from the HAALSI cohort in South Africa
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Corresponding Author(s)
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Abstract
Objectives: Longitudinal studies on chronic loneliness and before and during the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking in Africa. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of loneliness and chronic loneliness using cross-sectional and longitudinal data from middle-aged and older adults from rural South Africa. Method: The analysis utilized data from the South African 7-year longitudinal Health and Ageing in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI) (analytic sample: n = 3,418, aged 40 years and older). Loneliness was assessed with a single and 3-item measure. Results: The proportion of loneliness was 19.5% in the 2021/2022 survey, the incidence of chronic loneliness (having loneliness in wave 2 and 3, and free of loneliness in wave 1) was 18.9%, and the 7-year incidence of loneliness was 41.0%. Comparing the 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to 2021/2022 (during COVID-19 pandemic) surveys participants experienced a significant reduction of loneliness. In cross-sectional and/or longitudinal analyses, we found that younger age, living alone, food insecurity, lack of social engagement, depressed mood, poor life satisfaction, poor sleep quality, impaired cognition, poor self-rated health, functional disability, underweight, obesity, and not living with HIV were associated with a higher prevalence, incidence and/or increases in loneliness. Conclusion: One in five aging adults had acute or chronic loneliness. Several social, mental, and physical health factors were identified as associated with loneliness.