Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37099237›Full record

ArticleAging clinical and experimental research2023

Long-term care need, loneliness, and perceived social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from the German Ageing Survey.

André Hajek, Katharina Grupp, Ghazal Aarabi, Razak Mohammed Gyasi, Rosanne Freak-Poli, Benedikt Kretzler, Hans-Helmut König

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

André HajekDepartment of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. a.hajek@uke.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6886-2745
Katharina GruppDivision of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Ghazal AarabiDepartment of Periodontics, Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, Center for Dental and Oral Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Razak Mohammed GyasiAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Rosanne Freak-PoliSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Benedikt KretzlerDepartment of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Hans-Helmut KönigDepartment of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is a complete lack of studies focusing on the association between care degree (reflecting the long-term care need) and loneliness or social isolation in Germany.

aimsTo investigate the association between care degree and loneliness as well as perceived social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsWe used data from the nationally representative German Ageing Survey, which covers community-dwelling middle-aged and older individuals aged 40 years or over. We used wave 8 of the German Ageing Survey (analytical sample: n = 4334 individuals, mean age was 68.9 years, SD: 10.2 years; range 46-100 years). To assess loneliness, the De Jong Gierveld instrument was used. To assess perceived social isolation, the Bude and Lantermann instrument was used. Moreover, the level of care was used as a key independent variable (absence of care degree (0); care degree 1-5).

resultsAfter adjusting for various covariates, regressions showed that there were no significant differences between individuals without a care degree and individuals with a care degree of 1 or 2 in terms of loneliness and perceived social isolation. In contrast, individuals with a care degree of 3 or 4 had higher loneliness (β = 0.23, p = 0.034) and higher perceived social isolation scores (β = 0.38, p < 0.01) compared to individuals without a care degree. DISCUSSION/

conclusionsCare degrees of 3 or 4 are associated with higher levels of both loneliness and perceived social isolation. Longitudinal studies are required to confirm this association.

Indexed as

COVID-19LonelinessAgedAgingHumansLongitudinal StudiesLong-Term CareMiddle AgedPandemicsSocial IsolationAutonomyCare degreeCare levelFunctional dependenceFunctional impairmentLonelinessLong-term careSocial exclusionSocial isolation

Identifiers

PMID37099237
PMCPMC10130804

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.