Potential Risk Factors for Lonely Death: A Nationwide Case-Control Study in Korea.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lonely death, referred to the death of an individual at home alone and found after some time has elapsed, has emerged as a significant social issue in many countries. This study aimed to distinguish high-risk groups by comparing the characteristics of individuals who died of loneliness with those of the control group.

Methods

This case-control study was conducted using data from the Korea Crime Scene Investigation and National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) databases. We identified all lonely deaths that occurred in 2021 in Korea and sex- and age-matched controls were randomly selected from the NHIS database in a 1:3 ratio. Data on demographics, health conditions, and healthcare utilisation were analysed. Associations between lonely deaths and various factors wer

SUBMITTER: Koo HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12748055 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature