SynthesisSystematic reviews2026
Prevalence and factors associated with loneliness among older adults in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundLoneliness is increasingly becoming a serious public health problem, particularly among older adults. Older adults are highly influenced by underlying factors such as unemployment/retirement, age-related diseases, and loss of relatives/friends; as a result, they are prone to loneliness. Despite several studies being conducted in developed countries and a few in African countries, there has been no documented systematic review evidence of this problem in the African region.
objectiveTo determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of loneliness among older adults in Africa.
methodOriginal studies on the prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Africa were retrieved from well-known international databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, as well as search engines like Google and Google Scholar. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the combined prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Africa. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 17 software.
resultsThis systematic review and meta-analysis included 18 cross-sectional observational studies that provided data on the prevalence of loneliness among older adults. The overall pooled prevalence of loneliness in this population was 37.86 [95% CI (30.11, 45.62), I
conclusionIn this systematic review well over one-third of older adults suffered from loneliness which highlights that loneliness is a significant concern among older adults in Africa. Marital status, alcohol-drinking habits, and depressive symptoms were found significant predictors of loneliness among older adults in Africa.
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