A comparison of different definitions of social isolation using Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data
Abstract
There are many definitions of social isolation which draw on structural indicators (e.g. living alone), functional indicators (e.g. social support) or both. This makes comparing prevalence rates across studies difficult and provides little guidance for practitioners and service providers to identify and target socially isolated clients. The purpose of the present study was to compare, within one large population-based data-set of Canadians aged 45–85, single-item and composite indicators of social isolation, by total sample and by socio-demographics (age, sex) and health. Data were from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) which assessed features of social network, social support and social participation. Two composite scales were created to compare prevalence rates based on structural only or both structural and functional indicators. Results indicated overall low prevalence rates of social isolation, regardless of the measure used. A composite scale using only structural features identified 5.8 per cent socially isolated adults aged 45–85. This compared with a structural and functional scale that identified 9.8 per cent socially isolated adults. The composite measures showed less variation across socio-demographics than single-item measures. Results shed light on different ways in which social isolation can be defined and how single-item and composite definitions impact our understanding of identifying socially isolated adults in a given population. Results add t…
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The social isolation index was dichotomized with scores 2 or more classified as socially isolated to allow a sufficient sample size in each of the four groups.
“To allow a sufficient sample size in each of the four groups, individuals with scores 2 or more were classified as socially isolated and those with 0 or 1 as not socially isolated, similar to previous research [20,27,54].”
The study included socio-demographic variables as covariates given their known relationship with social isolation and loneliness.
“Several socio-demographic variables were included in the analyses, given their known relationship with social isolation and loneliness [6–8,53,54].”
Cites
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“Notably, they defined measures of social isolation (structural) as tapping into ‘a pervasive lack of social contact or communication, participation in social activities, or confidant’ (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010: 9).”
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“…more or less consensus by researchers that social isolation is an ‘objective’ measure of relationships, and is commonly contrasted with the ‘subjective’ concept of loneliness (e.g. Victor et al., 2000; Masi et al., 2010; Steptoe et al., 2013; Newall and Menec, 2019; but see also Nicholson, 2009).”
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Self-citationMenec, V. H., Newall, N. E., Mackenzie, C. S., Shooshtari, S., & Nowicki, S. (2019) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0211143 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
Self-citationHarasemiw, O., Newall, N., Shooshtari, S., Mackenzie, C., & Menec, V. (2018) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/0164027517734587 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationPredicting stability and change in loneliness in later life
Newall, N. E. G., Chipperfield, J. G., & Bailis, D. S. (2014) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407513494951 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
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Menec, V. H., Newall, N. E., Mackenzie, C. S., Shooshtari, S., & Nowicki, S. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230673 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
“To allow a sufficient sample size in each of the four groups, individuals with scores 2 or more were classified as socially isolated and those with 0 or 1 as not socially isolated, similar to previous research [20,27,54].”
MethodResultSelf-citationReynolds, K. A. A., Kudar, K., Joshi, J., Christianson, I., Davidson, D., Gopinath, G., Koven, L., Mackenzie, C., Miller, S., & Newall, N. (2025) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1541583 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Newall, N. E. G., & Menec, V. H.
- Affiliations
- Brandon University (CA)
- University of Manitoba (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Newall, Nancy E. G.
- Venue
- Ageing and Society
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2019-07-03
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2671-2694
- ISSN
- 0144-686X (ISSN-L)
- 1469-1779
- OpenAlex
- W2954946978
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ageing and Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- social isolation, composite measures, single-item measures, social support, social networks, social participation (health and rehabilitation), living alone, older adults, prevalence, sociodemographic variation, Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
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