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Cited by 23Health disparities and outcomesAging, Health, and DisabilityAging and Gerontology Research

Loneliness trajectories and chronic loneliness around the world

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Sheftel, Mara Getz, Margolis, Rachel, Verdery, Ashton M·2024·The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
DOI 10.1093/geronb/gbae098PMC PMC11227000
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Abstract

Objectives: We examine cross-national variation in (a) loneliness trajectories and (b) the association between common social risk factors and chronic loneliness in middle and older adulthood. Methods: Using longitudinal data, we assess the country-level prevalence of loneliness trajectories (chronic, transitory, and no loneliness) and the extent of common social risk factors for loneliness (living alone, widowhood, divorce, no grandchildren, having chronic conditions, and never working) among adults 50 and older in 20 countries covering 47% of the global population in this age bracket. Additionally, we compare how the associations between social risk factors and chronic loneliness vary across countries. Results: We find considerable variation in the prevalence of chronic loneliness cross-nationally, ranging between 4% (Denmark) and 15% (Greece) of adults 50 and older. Living arrangements have the most consistent association with the likelihood of chronic loneliness across countries, with those ever living alone having an 8% higher likelihood of chronic loneliness on average across countries, with a range of 2%–25%. Additionally, those who never report working and those with chronic conditions have a higher likelihood of chronic loneliness across more than a third of the countries. Discussion: These results suggest that policies and interventions targeted to middle age and older adults living alone and with limited work histories or with chronic conditions are critical in reducing the public health challenges of chronic loneliness.

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  • In a recent longitudinal multi-country study among middle-aged and older adults in mostly high-income countries, those ever living alone had an 8% higher likelihood of chronic loneliness on average across countries.

    “In a recent longitudinal multi-country study among middleaged and older adults in mostly high-income countries those ever living alone had an 8% higher likelihood of chronic loneliness on average across countries [31]”

    From Factors associated with loneliness in a national study among persons 80 years and older in India in 2017-2018 (2025) · cites this paper as [31]

  • In the recent longitudinal multi-country study among middle-aged and older adults in 20 countries, an average of 23% of participants reported not to have grandchildren and its association with chronic loneliness was rarely significant.

    “In the recent longitudinal multi-country study among middle-aged and older adults in 20 countries, an average of 23% of participants reported not to have grandchildren and its association with chronic loneliness was rarely signficiant [31].”

    From Factors associated with loneliness in a national study among persons 80 years and older in India in 2017-2018 (2025) · cites this paper as [31]

  • In a more collectivistic society such as India, living alone did not influence loneliness.

    “meaning that in a more collectivistic society, such as in India, living alone did not influence loneliness.”

    From Factors associated with loneliness in a national study among persons 80 years and older in India in 2017-2018 (2025) · cites this paper as [31]

    The Results report that living alone was associated with increased chronic loneliness in almost all countries studied, but give no result for India. A search of our copy for India found no India-specific analysis, so the paper does not establish whether living alone influenced loneliness there. (LLM, conf=0.72)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Sheftel, M. G., Margolis, R., & Verdery, A. M.
Affiliations
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • Western University (CA)
Corresponding author
Sheftel, Mara Getz
ORCID
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2024-05-30
Volume
79
Issue
8
ISSN
  • 1079-5014 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-5368
DOI
10.1093/geronb/gbae098
PMC
PMC11227000
OpenAlex
W4399250857
Cited by
23
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 2
FWCI
10.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights (vor)
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series B (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging
  • National Institutes of Health (1R01AG060949)
  • Pennsylvania State University Population Research Institute
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2C-HD041025)
  • Government of Canada—Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (435-2017-0618, 435-2022-0764)
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
chronic loneliness, loneliness trajectories, cross-national variation, living alone, widowhood, divorce, living arrangements, chronic disease, social risk factors, prevalence of loneliness
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Chronic Disease, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Female, Humans, Loneliness, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Residence Characteristics, Risk Factors, Global Health, Prevalence

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