Association between Sense of Loneliness and Quality of Life in Older Adults with Multimorbidity

Anna Vespa (), Roberta Spatuzzi, Paolo Fabbietti, Mirko Di Rosa, Anna Rita Bonfigli, Andrea Corsonello, Pisana Gattafoni and Maria Velia Giulietti
Additional contact information
Anna Vespa: Scientific and Technological Area, Department of Neurology, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy
Roberta Spatuzzi: Department of Mental Health, ASP Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Paolo Fabbietti: Laboratory of Biostatistics, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy
Mirko Di Rosa: Laboratory of Biostatistics, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy
Anna Rita Bonfigli: Scientific Direction, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy
Andrea Corsonello: Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology and Biostatistics, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 87100 Cosenza, Italy
Pisana Gattafoni: Clinic of Internal Medicine and Geriatric, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy
Maria Velia Giulietti: Department of Neurology, Italian National Research Center On Aging (IRCCS INRCA), 60124 Ancona, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Multimorbidity has been associated with adverse health outcomes, such as reduced physical function, poor quality-of-life (QoL), poor self-rated health. Objective: The association between quality of life, social support, sense of loneliness and sex and age in older adult patients affected by two or more chronic diseases (multimorbidity) was evaluated. Methods: Patients n. 162 with multimorbidity and living with family members. Tests: MMSE-Mini-Mental-State-Examination; ADL-Activities of Daily Living; Social Schedule: demographic variables; Loneliness Scale -de Jong Gierveld; Quality-of-Life-FACT-G; WHOQOL-BRIEF Social relationships. Statistical analysis: Multivariate Regression Analysis. Results: The patients with three or more diseases have worse dimensions of FACT-G total score ( p = 0.029), QoL Physical-well-being ( p = 0.003), Social well-being ( p = 0.003), Emotional-well-being ( p = 0.012), Functional-well-being ( p < 0.001), than those with two. Multiple linear regression QoL: FACT_G total score, PWB, SWB, EWB, FWB as dependent variables. In the presence of multimorbidity with an increase in the patient’s age FACT-G total score (B = −0.004, p = 0.482), PWB (B = −0.024, p = 0.014), SWB (B = −0.022, p = 0.051), EWB (B = −0.001, p = 0.939), FWB (B = −0.023, p = 0.013) decrease by an average of 0.1, and as the sense of solitude increases FACT-G total score (B = −0.285, p < 0.000), PWB (B = −0.435, p < 0.000), SWB(B = −0.401, p < 0.000), EWB(B = −0.494, p < 0.000), FWB(B = −0.429, p < 0.000) decrease by 0.4. Conclusions: A sense of loneliness and advancing age are associated with bad quality-of life in self-sufficient elderly patients with multimorbidity. Implications for Practice: Demonstrating that loneliness, as well as in the presence of interpersonal relations, is predictive of worse quality of life in patients with multimorbidity helps identify people most at risk for common symptoms and lays the groundwork for research concerning both diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: sense of loneliness; social support; quality of life; older adults; multimorbidity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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