Preprint · Jul 21, 2020
Association between Sense of Loneliness, Social support, Quality of Life and Multimorbidity in Elderly Patients
By Vespa A, Spatuzzi R, Gattafoni P et al.
Abstract Multi-morbidity has been associated with adverse health outcomes, such as reduced physical function, poor quality-of-life(QoL), poor self-rated health. The adverse impact of multi-morbidity on other health domains is further exacerbated by other factors. In this study the association between quality of life, social support, sense of loneliness and sex, age in elderly patients affected by two or more chronic diseases (multi- morbidity) was evaluated. Patients n. 216 affected by tumors hypertension, cardiovascolar diseases, ictus, diabetes, all self-sufficient 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. The patients with three or more diseases have worse dimensions of QoL Physical-well-being(p = .003), Social well-being (p = .003), Emotional-well-being(p = .012), Functional-well-being(p < .001), than those with two. Multiple linear regression. QoL: PWB, SWB, EWB,FWB as dependent variables.In the presence of multi-morbidity with an increase in the patient's age PWB (B = − .131, p = .014), SWB (B = − .170, p = .009) EWB (B = − .457, p < .000), FWB (B=-.139,p = .013), decreases by an average of 0.1, and as the sense of solitude increases PWB (B=-.425, p < .000), SWB(B=-.464,p < .000),EWB(B=-.457,p < .000),FWB(B=-468,p < .000) decrease by 0.4. The sense of loneliness and increasing age are associated with bad quality-of life in self-sufficient elderly patients with multi-morbidity. Demonstrating that loneliness, also in presence of interpersonal relations, predicted worse quality of life helps identify people most at risk for common symptoms and lays the groundwork for research about diagnosis and treatment.