Dataset Information

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Role of Income and Education as Mediators.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Loneliness is a major public health concern; however, limited research has examined the mechanisms contributing to racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness. Race/ethnicity has been hypothesized to be a distal factor influencing loneliness, and racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness may be attributable to socioeconomic factors (e.g., income and education). Our study seeks to confirm these hypotheses by examining mechanisms that contribute to racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness. In other words, if racial/ethnic differences in loneliness among older adults are mediated by income and education.

Research design and methods

Data came from the Health and Retirement Study Leave-Behind Questionnaire, 2014-2016. Loneliness was measured by the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale. Race/ethnicity categories were White, Black, and Hispanic/Latino. The mediator variables were household income and education. Multivariable linear regression models were used to determine differences in loneliness by race/ethnicity. The Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) mediation method was used to determine if income and education mediated racial/ethnic differences in loneliness.

Results

In models examining income and education together, a complete mediation was found between White and Black older adults, in that income and education completely mediated differences in loneliness between these groups. A partial mediation was found between White and Hispanic, and Black and Hispanic older adults. When examining income and education separately, we found that income solely accounted for racial/ethnic differences in loneliness compared to education.

Discussion and implications

Our study is the first to explicitly determine if socioeconomic factors mediate race/ethnicity differences in loneliness among a national sample of older adults. These findings illustrate that income may have greater proximate effects for loneliness among older adults in comparison to education. Additionally, these findings can inform evidence-based interventions to reduce loneliness among older adults. Interventions that enhance quality of life and provide opportunities for socialization for racialized low-income older adults may help decrease racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness.

SUBMITTER: Taylor HO

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11319872 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Role of Income and Education as Mediators.

Taylor Harry Owen HO Chen Yu-Chih YC Tsuchiya Kazumi K Cudjoe Thomas K M TKM Qin Weidi W Nguyen Ann W AW Roy Arka A

Innovation in aging 20240719 8

<h4>Background and objectives</h4>Loneliness is a major public health concern; however, limited research has examined the mechanisms contributing to racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness. Race/ethnicity has been hypothesized to be a distal factor influencing loneliness, and racial/ethnic inequities in loneliness may be attributable to socioeconomic factors (e.g., income and education). Our study seeks to confirm these hypotheses by examining mechanisms that contribute to racial/ethnic inequitie ...[more]

PMID: 39139381

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Dataset Information

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Role of Income and Education as Mediators.

Background and objectives

Research design and methods

Results

Discussion and implications

Publications

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Role of Income and Education as Mediators.

Similar Datasets

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