TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - Prevalence of loneliness over ten years among the oldest old
JO  - Scandinavian journal of public health
A1  - Nyqvist, Fredrica
A1  - Cattan, Mima
A1  - Conradsson, Mia
A1  - Näsman, Marina
A1  - Gustafsson, Yngve
SP  - 411
EP  - 418
VL  - 45
IS  - 4
N2  - AIMS: This study examined the prevalence of loneliness among the oldest old within a 10-year period and studied the influence of various sociodemographic, social and health characteristics on loneliness. <br><br>METHODS: The study used population-based data from the Umeå85+/GErontological Regional DAtabase-study (GERDA) for the years 2000-2002, 2005-2007 and 2010-2012 including 85-year-old, 90-year-old and ⩾95-year-old participants. A final sample of 304 participants in 2000-2002, 329 participants in 2005-2007 and 401 participants in 2010-2012 was included in the analyses. <br><br>RESULTS: Although the level of loneliness was already high in 2000-2002 (49.3% reported frequent loneliness), the results showed limited changes in loneliness during the 10-year study period. Loneliness was closely related to living alone, depressive symptoms and living in institutional settings. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Although societal changes such as solitary living and growing urbanization suggest a changing trend in loneliness, we found that the prevalence of loneliness was relatively stable in this study. Nevertheless, loneliness is common among the oldest old and a focus on social issues related to living arrangements and on depressive symptoms is important in understanding loneliness.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1403-4948
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1403494817697511
ID  - ref1
ER  -