Loneliness Predicts Progression of Frailty in Married and Widowed, but Not Unmarried Community Dwelling Older Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Loneliness is highly prevalent among older adults and is associated with frailty. Most studies consider loneliness in isolation without consideration for structural and functional measures of social relationships - and longitudinal studies are scarce.

Objectives

This study examined longitudinal associations between loneliness and frailty and analyzed how structural and functional social measures influence these associations.

Design

Linear mixed effects models examined longitudinal associations between loneliness and frailty assessed with the frailty index (scale 0-100). Models were adjusted for baseline age, gender, education, depressive symptoms, global cognition, and structural (e.g., social network, marital status), and functional social measures (e.g.,

SUBMITTER: Pollak C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11898203 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature