The Risk for Loneliness and Major Depression among Solo Agers

Solo agers may be vulnerable to social isolation and mental health sequelae, particularly if they lack close family or friendship ties. This study examined associations among indicators of solo aging, frequency of loneliness, and Major Depressive Disorder among adults aged 60+. Depressed participant...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied gerontology 2023-05, Vol.42 (5), p.962-971
Main Authors: Adams, Kathryn Betts, Parekh, Rupal, Mauldin, Rebecca L., Fortinsky, Richard H., Steffens, David C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aging
Depression - epidemiology
Depression - psychology
Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology
Families & family life
Humans
Loneliness
Loneliness - psychology
Mental depression
Mental health
Older people
Social isolation
Social Isolation - psychology
Vulnerability
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Summary:Solo agers may be vulnerable to social isolation and mental health sequelae, particularly if they lack close family or friendship ties. This study examined associations among indicators of solo aging, frequency of loneliness, and Major Depressive Disorder among adults aged 60+. Depressed participants were diagnosed by a geriatric psychiatrist and control participants were not depressed. We hypothesized that older adults with more indicators of solo aging (i.e., living alone, being unmarried, not having family or friends nearby) would be more often lonely and more likely to be depressed. In multivariate analyses controlling for health comorbidities and financial difficulty, each additional solo aging indicator significantly increased the likelihood of frequent loneliness, 95% CI OR [1.50, 2.80], and having a depression diagnosis 95% CI OR [1.04, 2.07]. Solo agers may be vulnerable to loneliness and depression, reinforcing the need for assessment and intervention for social isolation among older adults.
ISSN:0733-4648
1552-4523
1552-4523
DOI:10.1177/07334648221146770