ArticleBMC geriatrics2023
Psycho-social and health predictors of loneliness in older primary care patients and mediating mechanisms linking comorbidities and loneliness.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Factors impacting loneliness in patients with serious life-limiting illness in the Emergency Medicine Palliative Care Access (EMPallA) study.BMC palliative care · 2025Trial
- Social wellbeing in older breast cancer survivors taking adjuvant endocrine therapy: impacts of self-efficacy for symptom management and pain.Frontiers in aging · 2026Article
- Determinants of loneliness and quality of life among rural community-dwelling older adults in Egypt: A cross-sectional descriptive study.Belitung nursing journal · 2026Article
- Risk factors and prognostic impact of unwanted loneliness in heart failure.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Association between Levels of Loneliness, Laboratory Measurements, and Behavioral Aspects in a Primary Care Setting in Crete, Greece.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAging is associated with many personal, social, and environmental challenges that increase the risk of loneliness. Loneliness is a painful emotional experience associated with a perceived lack of connection and intimacy. Loneliness accelerates health deterioration, but the presence of chronic health conditions (comorbidities) in older individuals may potentiate the feeling of loneliness. The relationships between health status and loneliness in older individuals have not been assessed in an integrated manner, although it is necessary for planning efficient interventions. The aim of this study was to fill in this knowledge gap, by attempting to create an integrated model of loneliness in older individuals.
methodsThe sample consisted of 189 (58% F) older individuals (> 60 years) (mean ± SD, 78.47 ± 6.65), attendees in Primary Health Care. Different factors associated with loneliness in the older population were assessed, and classified as demographic, environmental, physical (health-related), and psychological, in addition to functional abilities. A set of standard questionnaires was used to assess psychological factors and functional abilities. The hierarchical regression model assessed the effect of particular blocks of factors on status loneliness. The second aim was to analyze how psychological factors mediate associations between health status (comorbidity level) and loneliness.
resultsIndicated that increasing comorbidity, anxiety, lack of positive moods, not having hobbies/activities, low perception of social support, impaired cognitive function, and suppression of emotion expression, are significant predictors of loneliness. Mediation analysis informed us of how to help patients with comorbidities feel less lonely. Interventions that were suggested were those that can reduce anxiety and depression, improve cognitive abilities and emotional regulation control, and enhance social support.
conclusionsResults can help understand the pathophysiology loops linking poor health status (comorbidity level) of older individuals and loneliness, and have significant potentials from the translational perspectives, as a decision-support tool.
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Registered trials
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.