ArticleBMJ open2020
Consensus statement: loneliness in older adults, the 21st century social determinant of health?
Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 97 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
97 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- ASSeTS: a systematic review and development of the World Health Organization's classification system for social isolation and loneliness interventions.Population health metrics · 2026Pooled it
- The impact of therapeutic landscapes on the mental health of older adults: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- An Updated Systematic Literature Review of the Economic Costs of Loneliness and Social Isolation and the Cost Effectiveness of Interventions.PharmacoEconomics · 2025Pooled it
- Critical components of social prescribing programmes with a focus on older adults - a systematic review.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2023Pooled it
- The prevalence of loneliness across 113 countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2022Pooled it
- Older Adults' Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Physical Information and Communication Technology in the Era of Ambient Assisted Living: A Systematic Literature Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Petit volunteer protocol for loneliness alleviation in community-dwelling older adults in Japan: a randomised controlled trial.BMJ open · 2026Trial
- Feasibility of Using a Wearable Device to Identify Loneliness Among Older Adults Living Alone: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Is my loneliness killing me? Effects of loneliness and social isolation on transitions between cognitive status categories and death.Journal of personality and social psychology · 2026Article
- Roles of Self-Stigma and Meaning in the Relationship Between Age and Loneliness: A Perspective From Gerotranscendence.PsyCh journal · 2026Article
- Loneliness, Chronic Conditions, and Healthcare Engagement in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.JMA journal · 2026Article
- Estimating the effects of hypothetical loneliness interventions on memory function among middle-aged and older adults in the United States.American journal of epidemiology · 2026Article
- Association between social isolation, loneliness and the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank.Annals of general psychiatry · 2026Article
- Does alleviating depression reduce loneliness? A longitudinal study.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2026Article
- Associations between migrant status, social isolation, and loneliness among older adults in India.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Unpacking the early implementation of social prescribing in Swedish primary care: a theory-informed process evaluation.Health promotion international · 2026Article
- Understanding the Association Between Substance Use and Loneliness in Midlife and Older Adults.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Social wellbeing, loneliness, and symptom burden in head and neck cancer survivors: a latent class analysis.Journal of psychosocial oncology · 2026Article
- Local Understandings and First Aid Responses to Burn Injuries: A Phenomenological Study in an Urban Indonesian Community.Acta medica Philippina · 2026Article
- A retrospective observational study of characteristics and outcomes of older patients referred to a hospital-based social prescribing programme.Frontiers in public health · 2026Observational
37 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThe purpose of this consensus statement is to determine the state of the field of loneliness among older people, highlighting key issues for researchers, policymakers and those designing services and interventions.
methodsIn December 2018, an international meeting on loneliness was held in Belfast with leaders from across the USA and Europe. A summary of the conclusions reached at this event is presented following a consensus-building exercise conducted both during this event after each presentation as well as after the event through the drafting, reviewing and agreement of this statement by all authors for over 6 months.
resultsThis meeting resulted in an agreement to produce a consensus statement on key issues including definitions of loneliness, measurement, antecedents, consequences and interventions. DISCUSSION: There has been an exponential growth in research on loneliness among older adults. However, differing measurements and definitions of loneliness mean the incidence and prevalence, associated risk factors and health consequences are often conflicting or confusing especially for those developing policy and services.
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