Ellen E Lee1,2,3, Colin Depp1,2,3,4, Barton W Palmer1,2,4, Danielle Glorioso2,3, Rebecca Daly2,3, Jinyuan Liu2,5, Xin M Tu1,2,5, Ho-Cheol Kim3,6, Peri Tarr7, Yasunori Yamada8, Dilip V Jeste1,2,3,9. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. 2. Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. 3. IBM-UCSD Artificial Intelligence for Healthy Living Center, La Jolla, CA, USA. 4. Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. 5. Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. 6. Accessibility Research, IBM Research Division, San Jose, CA, USA. 7. Accessibility Research, IBM Research Division, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA. 8. Accessibility and Aging, IBM Research Division, Tokyo, Japan. 9. Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study of loneliness across adult lifespan examined its associations with sociodemographics, mental health (positive and negative psychological states and traits), subjective cognitive complaints, and physical functioning. DESIGN: Analysis of cross-sectional data. PARTICIPANTS: 340 community-dwelling adults in San Diego, California, mean age 62 (SD = 18) years, range 27-101 years, who participated in three community-based studies. MEASUREMENTS: Loneliness measures included UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-3), 4-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Social Isolation Scale, and a single-item measure from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD) scale. Other measures included the San Diego Wisdom Scale (SD-WISE) and Medical Outcomes Survey- Short form 36. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of subjects had moderate-high levels of loneliness on UCLA-3, using standardized cut-points. Loneliness was correlated with worse mental health and inversely with positive psychological states/traits. Even moderate severity of loneliness was associated with worse mental and physical functioning. Loneliness severity and age had a complex relationship, with increased loneliness in the late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s. There were no sex differences in loneliness prevalence, severity, and age relationships. The best-fit multiple regression model accounted for 45% of the variance in UCLA-3 scores, and three factors emerged with small-medium effect sizes: wisdom, living alone and mental well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The alarmingly high prevalence of loneliness and its association with worse health-related measures underscore major challenges for society. The non-linear age-loneliness severity relationship deserves further study. The strong negative association of wisdom with loneliness highlights the potentially critical role of wisdom as a target for psychosocial/behavioral interventions to reduce loneliness. Building a wiser society may help us develop a more connected, less lonely, and happier society.
OBJECTIVES: This study of loneliness across adult lifespan examined its associations with sociodemographics, mental health (positive and negative psychological states and traits), subjective cognitive complaints, and physical functioning. DESIGN: Analysis of cross-sectional data. PARTICIPANTS: 340 community-dwelling adults in San Diego, California, mean age 62 (SD = 18) years, range 27-101 years, who participated in three community-based studies. MEASUREMENTS: Loneliness measures included UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-3), 4-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Social Isolation Scale, and a single-item measure from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD) scale. Other measures included the San Diego Wisdom Scale (SD-WISE) and Medical Outcomes Survey- Short form 36. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of subjects had moderate-high levels of loneliness on UCLA-3, using standardized cut-points. Loneliness was correlated with worse mental health and inversely with positive psychological states/traits. Even moderate severity of loneliness was associated with worse mental and physical functioning. Loneliness severity and age had a complex relationship, with increased loneliness in the late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s. There were no sex differences in loneliness prevalence, severity, and age relationships. The best-fit multiple regression model accounted for 45% of the variance in UCLA-3 scores, and three factors emerged with small-medium effect sizes: wisdom, living alone and mental well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The alarmingly high prevalence of loneliness and its association with worse health-related measures underscore major challenges for society. The non-linear age-loneliness severity relationship deserves further study. The strong negative association of wisdom with loneliness highlights the potentially critical role of wisdom as a target for psychosocial/behavioral interventions to reduce loneliness. Building a wiser society may help us develop a more connected, less lonely, and happier society.
Authors: A Zebhauser; L Hofmann-Xu; J Baumert; S Häfner; M E Lacruz; R T Emeny; A Döring; E Grill; D Huber; A Peters; K H Ladwig Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-06-27 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: D V Sheehan; Y Lecrubier; K H Sheehan; P Amorim; J Janavs; E Weiller; T Hergueta; R Baker; G C Dunbar Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 1998 Impact factor: 4.384
Authors: Manfred E Beutel; Eva M Klein; Elmar Brähler; Iris Reiner; Claus Jünger; Matthias Michal; Jörg Wiltink; Philipp S Wild; Thomas Münzel; Karl J Lackner; Ana N Tibubos Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2017-03-20 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Sarah Graham; Colin Depp; Ellen E Lee; Camille Nebeker; Xin Tu; Ho-Cheol Kim; Dilip V Jeste Journal: Curr Psychiatry Rep Date: 2019-11-07 Impact factor: 5.285
Authors: Stephanie Shiau; Alexis A Bender; Jane A O'Halloran; Erin Sundermann; Juhi Aggarwal; Keri N Althoff; Jason V Baker; Steven Deeks; Linda P Fried; Stephen Karpiak; Maile Y Karris; Thomas D Marcotte; Jean B Nachega; Joseph B Margolick; Kristine M Erlandson; David J Moore Journal: AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses Date: 2020-09-23 Impact factor: 2.205
Authors: Dilip V Jeste; Ellen E Lee; Charles Cassidy; Rachel Caspari; Pascal Gagneux; Danielle Glorioso; Bruce L Miller; Katerina Semendeferi; Candace Vogler; Howard Nusbaum; Dan Blazer Journal: Perspect Biol Med Date: 2019 Impact factor: 1.416
Authors: Ryan Van Patten; Ellen E Lee; Rebecca Daly; Elizabeth Twamley; Xin M Tu; Dilip V Jeste Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2019-02-14 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Dilip V Jeste; Danielle Glorioso; Ellen E Lee; Rebecca Daly; Sarah Graham; Jinyuan Liu; Alejandra Morlett Paredes; Camille Nebeker; Xin M Tu; Elizabeth W Twamley; Ryan Van Patten; Yasunori Yamada; Colin Depp; Ho-Cheol Kim Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2019-04-11 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Dilip V Jeste; Sarah A Graham; Ellen E Lee; Ho-Cheol Kim; Tanya T Nguyen; Colin A Depp Journal: Int Psychogeriatr Date: 2020-06-25 Impact factor: 3.878