Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study
Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in nor...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2021
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21001707 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0144686X21001707 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0144686x21001707 2024-09-15T18:26:08+00:00 Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study Nyqvist, Fredrica Näsman, Marina Hemberg, Jessica Nygård, Mikael Högskolestiftelen i Österbotten The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21001707 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0144686X21001707 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Ageing and Society volume 43, issue 10, page 2372-2393 ISSN 0144-686X 1469-1779 journal-article 2021 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21001707 2024-07-17T04:04:01Z Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in northern Sweden and western Finland, aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 at baseline in 2010, were analysed. Logistic regressions were used to analyse socio-demographic, social and health-related risk factors at baseline and changes in these for experiences of loneliness at follow-up. The results showed that most older adults (85%) did not experience loneliness at baseline or at follow-up in our study region. However, 3 per cent of the sample reported loneliness in both study years, indicating enduring and chronic loneliness. Analyses revealed that being widowed and becoming a widow/er as well as poor self-rated health at baseline and the onset of depression were risk factors for loneliness. Finally, the risk of loneliness was higher in older people living in Sweden. Further work is needed to explore changes and stability in loneliness as well as to increase our understanding of between-country differences in loneliness. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Sweden Cambridge University Press Ageing and Society 1 22 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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English |
description |
Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in northern Sweden and western Finland, aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 at baseline in 2010, were analysed. Logistic regressions were used to analyse socio-demographic, social and health-related risk factors at baseline and changes in these for experiences of loneliness at follow-up. The results showed that most older adults (85%) did not experience loneliness at baseline or at follow-up in our study region. However, 3 per cent of the sample reported loneliness in both study years, indicating enduring and chronic loneliness. Analyses revealed that being widowed and becoming a widow/er as well as poor self-rated health at baseline and the onset of depression were risk factors for loneliness. Finally, the risk of loneliness was higher in older people living in Sweden. Further work is needed to explore changes and stability in loneliness as well as to increase our understanding of between-country differences in loneliness. |
author2 |
Högskolestiftelen i Österbotten The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nyqvist, Fredrica Näsman, Marina Hemberg, Jessica Nygård, Mikael |
spellingShingle |
Nyqvist, Fredrica Näsman, Marina Hemberg, Jessica Nygård, Mikael Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
author_facet |
Nyqvist, Fredrica Näsman, Marina Hemberg, Jessica Nygård, Mikael |
author_sort |
Nyqvist, Fredrica |
title |
Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
title_short |
Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
title_full |
Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
title_fullStr |
Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
title_sort |
risk factors for loneliness among older people in a nordic regional context – a longitudinal study |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21001707 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0144686X21001707 |
genre |
Northern Sweden |
genre_facet |
Northern Sweden |
op_source |
Ageing and Society volume 43, issue 10, page 2372-2393 ISSN 0144-686X 1469-1779 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21001707 |
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Ageing and Society |
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