Loneliness is more than an emotional state; it has serious health implications, especially for the elderly. A recent study using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, involving 15,500 participants aged 65 to 99, found that loneliness significantly affects life expectancy and quality of life. Lonely individuals live shorter, less healthy lives compared to their non-lonely peers.
Older women are particularly vulnerable to loneliness, with 29.5% experiencing it compared to 20.2% of men. Despite being physically active, lonely older adults are more likely to become and remain ill or die within a year from baseline. They have lower Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scores and self-rated health (SRH), translating to fewer healthy years ahead.
Lonely people aged 65 are expected to lose years of life compared to those who are not lonely. Their healthy life expectancy (HLE) is also reduced, with lonely individuals anticipating only 16.1 healthy years versus 19 years for their non-lonely counterparts. This study highlights the need for interventions to reduce loneliness, especially among older women, to improve their quality of life and health outcomes.
Source:
News Medical, June 6, 2024