ReviewInnovation in aging2026
Associations of social isolation and loneliness with healthcare utilization among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in Innovation in aging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Facilitators and Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Care for Older Adults Who Are Primary Care Users in Chile: A Focus Group Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Nurse-led pathways for loneliness and social isolation in older adults: a narrative review of assessment, relational mechanisms, and implementation.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Social isolation and loneliness are significant public health concerns associated with increased healthcare utilization among older adults. This review aims to synthesize evidence on the associations between social isolation, loneliness, and healthcare utilization. Research Design and Methods: Five databases were searched from inception to March 21, 2025, using keyword groups related to social isolation/loneliness, older adults, and healthcare utilization (primary care, emergency visits, inpatient care, and outpatient care). Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random-effects models were employed to pool effect sizes (incidence rate ratios [IRRs], odds ratios [ORs]). Results: A total of 44 studies were included in the systematic review, and 34 were included in the meta-analysis ( Discussion and Implications: This is the first meta-analysis to comprehensively synthesize the associations between social isolation, loneliness, and 4 types of healthcare utilization among older adults. The findings highlight the importance of addressing social isolation and loneliness as potential strategies to reduce avoidable healthcare utilization.
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What OpenQuestion holds
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.