SynthesisPalliative medicine2026
Loneliness among adults at the end of life: A systematic review of prevalence and correlates.
Synthesis in Palliative medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Death and grief literacy in the context of loneliness: Insights from an international symposium.Palliative care and social practice · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLoneliness has been linked to poorer quality of life and worse symptoms in the final weeks prior to death. However, research on prevalence at end of life has yet to be systematically reviewed.
aimTo synthesise evidence of prevalence and correlates of loneliness among adults at the end of life.
designSystematic review without meta-analysis, due to high study heterogeneity, registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024581962). DATA SOURCES: OVID Medline, PsycInfo, Web of Science, PubMed, Social Policy and Practice and Health Management Information Consortium databases were searched up to April 2025. Studies estimating prevalence of loneliness were eligible where the sample (or identifiable sub-sample) were adults with a terminal illness, receiving palliative care or retrospectively identified with a loneliness measure less than 12 months prior to death.
resultsFifteen eligible studies were included. Most studies were North American or European, with samples based on clinical diagnosis or palliative care receipt. Prevalence estimates of moderate or worse loneliness ranged from 20% to 73% and high loneliness from 8% to 33% in studies sampling based on clinical diagnosis or care receipt, and 7%-12% and 18.6% respectively, in studies sampling retrospectively based on time to death. However, findings are presented with caution due to significant heterogeneity across studies.
conclusionsEvidence suggests loneliness may be a difficulty faced by a significant minority of people at the end of life, requiring support for individuals, within services and communities. Research is needed in a wider range of countries, and to develop and assess effective interventions.
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