Loneliness as a public health issue: the impact of loneliness on health care utilization among older adults

American Journal of Public Health
Kerstin Gerst-Emerson, Jayani Jayawardhana

Abstract

We aimed to determine whether loneliness is associated with higher health care utilization among older adults in the United States. We used panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008 and 2012) to examine the long-term impact of loneliness on health care use. The sample was limited to community-dwelling persons in the United States aged 60 years and older. We used negative binomial regression models to determine the impact of loneliness on physician visits and hospitalizations. Under 2 definitions of loneliness, we found that a sizable proportion of those aged 60 years and older in the United States reported loneliness. Regression results showed that chronic loneliness (those lonely both in 2008 and 4 years later) was significantly and positively associated with physician visits (β = 0.075, SE = 0.034). Loneliness was not significantly associated with hospitalizations. Loneliness is a significant public health concern among elders. In addition to easing a potential source of suffering, the identification and targeting of interventions for lonely elders may significantly decrease physician visits and health care costs.

Associated Clinical Trials

References

Apr 1, 1981·Annals of Internal Medicine·A J Barsky
Nov 15, 1994·American Journal of Epidemiology·A NorrishR Jackson
Sep 1, 1996·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·R O RobertsS J Jacobsen
Jan 30, 1999·Psychoneuroendocrinology·S S Knox, K Uvnäs-Moberg
Sep 6, 2000·Social Science & Medicine·L F BerkmanT E Seeman
Feb 13, 2001·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·P L RitterK R Lorig
Sep 21, 2001·Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine·I Kawachi, L F Berkman
Sep 21, 1963·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·S KATZM W JAFFE
Mar 20, 2004·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Linda P FriedGerard Anderson
May 28, 2008·Research on Aging·Mary Elizabeth HughesJohn T Cacioppo
Feb 19, 2009·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Kaisu H PitkalaReijo S Tilvis
Jun 12, 2009·European Journal of Ageing·Pearl A Dykstra
Sep 22, 2009·Archives of Psychiatric Nursing·Laurie A Theeke
Jul 22, 2010·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Gerard J MolloyRonan M Conroy
Jul 30, 2010·PLoS Medicine·Julianne Holt-LunstadJ Bradley Layton
Aug 4, 2010·Journal of Religion and Health·Gary L WilliamsAgnes Virginia Williams
Nov 2, 2011·Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·Bryan D JamesDavid A Bennett
Jun 20, 2012·Archives of Internal Medicine·Carla M PerissinottoKenneth E Covinsky
Mar 27, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Andrew SteptoeJane Wardle
May 18, 2013·American Journal of Public Health·Richard J ManskiJohn V Pepper
Jul 1, 2012·Applied Psychology. Health and Well-being·Neal Krause, R David Hayward

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 13, 2015·American Journal of Public Health·Sandro Galea, Roger Vaughan
Aug 31, 2016·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·Mathias LasgaardMark Shevlin
Sep 15, 2016·Aging & Mental Health·Dikla Segel-KarpasMargie E Lachman
Oct 18, 2016·Psychosomatic Medicine·Maturin Tabue TeguoJean-François Dartigues
Apr 23, 2016·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Kerstin G Emerson, Jayani Jayawardhana
May 30, 2017·Journal of Aging and Health·Judith G GonyeaYeonjung Lee
Jan 7, 2017·Geriatrics & Gerontology International·Ka Keat Lim, Angelique Chan
Jul 22, 2017·Journal of Aging and Health·Kerstin EmersonJayani Jayawardhana
Jan 31, 2018·Journal of Gerontological Social Work·Marie A BraultLeslie A Curry
May 24, 2018·Journal of Gerontological Social Work·Harry Owen TaylorNancy Morrow-Howell
Jul 11, 2018·Psychogeriatrics : the Official Journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society·Bao-Liang ZhongYeates Conwell
Aug 8, 2018·Journal of Interpersonal Violence·Ruth Pinedo GonzálezMyriam de la Iglesia Gutiérrez
Sep 19, 2019·Health Psychology Review·Niklas K SteffensMark Tarrant
Mar 11, 2020·Otolaryngology--head and Neck Surgery : Official Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery·Aishwarya ShuklaNicholas S Reed
Dec 28, 2019·The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease·Meaghan StacyJack Tsai
Apr 14, 2020·American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias·Verena BramboeckLiane Kaufmann
Apr 15, 2020·Research in Gerontological Nursing·Lindsay B MullinsMyra Emerson
May 1, 2019·BMC Research Notes·Baye Dagnew, Henok Dagne
Oct 26, 2018·PloS One·David Cantarero-PrietoCarla Blázquez-Fernández
May 15, 2020·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·Sam HodgsonHajira Dambha-Miller
May 8, 2020·Age and Ageing·Fiona E LithanderEmily J Henderson
Jun 3, 2020·Health & Social Care in the Community·Hassan RezaeipandariMohammad A Morowatisharifabad
May 10, 2020·International Psychogeriatrics·Jorge J Llibre-GuerraDaisy Acosta
Oct 5, 2019·Palliative & Supportive Care·Tamryn F GrayPaula V Nersesian
Aug 1, 2020·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Richard Armitage, Laura B Nellums
May 10, 2020·The International Journal of Social Psychiatry·Qin Xiang NgZenn Chua
Aug 7, 2020·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Lauren NewmyerLéa Pessin
Sep 2, 2020·Aging & Mental Health·Paz García-PortillaJulio Bobes
Sep 16, 2020·Psychogeriatrics : the Official Journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society·Yasuhiko DeguchiKoki Inoue
Sep 18, 2020·Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities·Guillermo M WippoldMeagan A Henry
Sep 19, 2020·International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry·Clarissa GiebelMark Gabbay
May 22, 2017·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·Farhana MannSonia Johnson
Jul 13, 2018·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Jiao ZhangSu Xie
Dec 7, 2018·Suicide & Life-threatening Behavior·Adrian J BlowMarcia Valenstein
Jun 12, 2020·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·Michelle H LimShradha Vasan
Sep 10, 2020·JAD Reports·Raffaella Migliaccio, Arabella Bouzigues

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.