The role of loneliness in the association between chronic physical illness and depressive symptoms among older adults: A prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic physical illness increases the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms, but we know little about the mechanisms underlying this association that interventions can target. We investigated whether loneliness might explain associations between chronic illness and subsequent depressive symptoms.

Methods

We used English Longitudinal Study of Ageing data, a prospective cohort of adults over 50. Our exposure was chronic illnesses (wave two) including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Loneliness scores were a mediator on the short University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale at wave three. Depressive symptom scores (outcome) were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depre

SUBMITTER: Kandola A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10618404 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature