Physical Exercise and Loneliness in the Community-Dwelling Older Population: rapid review of the literature

Loneliness in the elderly is a growing problem, intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is associated with risk factors for physical and mental health problems. Interventions based on physical activity have been proposed as strategies to reduce loneliness, promoting social interaction and quality of life. We will explore the available evidence on the effect of physical activity or exercise programs in reducing loneliness in older adults. We will search the EBSCO Host platform database (MEDLINE and CINAHL) to identify and select articles that address the relationship between physical exercise and physical activity and loneliness in older adults. The review will include studies published in the last 5 years in English and in Portuguese. Two reviewers will independently screen the search results. Risk of bias assessment will be done by two reviewers on the first 5 studies, and data extraction will be done by one reviewer with verification of 10% of articles by a second reviewer (as per Cochrane guidelines for rapid review). In assessing the risk of bias, we will use the critical appraisal checklists of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). We intend to obtain evidence on the role of physical exercise and physical activity in reducing loneliness among older adults, in order to support the development of clinical intervention guidelines and training strategies.