Loneliness in old age: Psychosocial and health predictors

Study objectives Design Main results 17% (CI 12.5–23.0) of the respondents answered yes. A significant correlation was demonstrated between a feeling of loneliness and low self-perceived health, low vision and poor hearing, low activity of daily life (ADL) function, loss of a spouse, low social network, no hobbies and possession of a safety alarm. After a multiple regression analysis of the significant variables, the remaining variables as predictors for loneliness included: number of social contacts, self-perceived health, using hearing aid and having a safety alarm. : : The information is obtained from a survey conducted among 232 inhabitants in this age group in the municipality of Tonsberg, its Northern District. The interview data are composed of the responses from 202 elderly people living in a house or apartment (non-institutionalized) to the question «do you generally feel lonely?». The purpose of this article is to study the prevalence of loneliness in a group of elderly people over 80 years old and the sociodemographic, health-related and social predictors for experiencing loneliness. ABSTRACT :