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Isolation and loneliness linked to less independence in Chinese study

In adults with cardiometabolic multimorbidity, models estimated 4.83 independent years at ages 60–90 with low isolation and no loneliness, versus 0.65 with both.

Paper by Jiayi Sun, Zuochen Xue, Aijuan Cheng
Figure 2. Transition-specific hazard ratios by exposure group Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for each functional transition by exposure group versus G1 (reference).
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Figure 2. Transition-specific hazard ratios by exposure group Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for each functional transition by exposure group versus G1 (reference).Transition-specific hazard ratios by exposure group Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for each functional transition by exposure group versus G1 (reference).Sun et al.
Preprint: cohort study of 1,731 peoplePopulations

9 years

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This observational study analysed 1,731 adults aged 45 and over with cardiometabolic multimorbidity in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. This meant having at least two of five conditions: high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, diabetes, heart disease or stroke. Researchers used data from 2011–2020 to model transitions between independence, limitations in tasks needed to live independently, limitations in basic self-care and death.

Compared with low isolation and no loneliness, loneliness alone was linked to the onset of limitations in tasks needed to live independently or basic self-care. Having both isolation and loneliness was linked to faster onset of limitations in tasks needed to live independently, a 66% lower rate of recovery from basic self-care limitations to independence, and higher mortality after basic self-care limitations developed.

Why it matters

Social connection may be a modifiable target for preserving daily functioning as adults with several of these long-term conditions age.

Caveats

The observational analysis cannot show causation, and independent years were modelled rather than directly observed. The study is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.

From the paper

Participants

We studied 1,731 adults aged ≥ 45 with CMM (≥ 2 of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, heart disease or stroke) from waves 1–5 (2011–2020) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Methods

Result

Loneliness was linked to deterioration onset (G2 vs G1: independence→IADL limitation hazard ratio [HR] 2.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–7.31; independence→ADL limitation 2.01, 1.28–3.15).

Results

Quoted word for word from the full text on researchsquare.com.

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