Transient loneliness
Transient loneliness has been studied in 5 papers since 2022: 5 observational studies in people; 1 in the past year. The newest paper, Jul 2, 2026: “Health and Health Service Use Among Assisted Living Residents With Chronic or Transient Loneliness: A Retrospective Cohort Study”.
5 papers study it4 findingsUpdated
“In adjusted models, both transient (incidence rate ratio, 1.09; 1.01-1.18) and chronic loneliness (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 1.12-1.32) were associated with increased emergency department use”
None of its findings points the other way.
- 3 independent labs in 3 countries
- Funders: Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta and 5 more
- Humans5
What did studies of Transient loneliness find?
3Studies of Transient loneliness measured 3 outcomes; the most studied are ADL disability (1 study), frailty reversion (1) and frailty progression (1).
ADL disability
no changein humans1HR 1.17
1 study
ADL disability
no changein humans1HR 1.17
Transient loneliness has no effect on ADL disability in humans (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.88–1.57).
“no significant associations between transient loneliness and ADL (HR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.88-1.57,”
HumansCompared with no loneliness; adjusted for socio-demographic, behavioral, and health factorsn = 7,148
The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
Frailty reversion
no changein humans1OR 0.87
1 study
Frailty reversion
no changein humans1OR 0.87
Transient loneliness has no effect on frailty reversion in humans (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.70–1.08).
“but not transient loneliness (OR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.70,1.08]).”
Humans4 yearsn = 2,961
BMC geriatrics
Frailty progression
no changein humans1OR 1.1
1 study
Frailty progression
no changein humans1OR 1.1
Transient loneliness has no effect on frailty progression in humans (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.89–1.37).
“There was no significant difference in participants who reported transient loneliness (OR = 1.10, 95% CI [0.89,1.37]), or chronic loneliness (OR = 1.14, 95% CI [0.84,1.57]) on the progression of frailty”
Humans4 yearsn = 2,961
BMC geriatrics
What is Transient loneliness linked with?
1Studies link Transient loneliness with 1 measure, most often emergency department visits (1 study).
Emergency department visits
upin humans1
1 study
Emergency department visits
upin humans1
Transient loneliness is associated with emergency department visits in humans.
“In adjusted models, both transient (incidence rate ratio, 1.09; 1.01-1.18) and chronic loneliness (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 1.12-1.32) were associated with increased emergency department use”
Humans
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association