Loneliness and Functional Decline in Aging: A Systematic Review.
Chava Pollak, Joe Verghese, Helena Blumen
PMID 37159388WHAT IT FOUND
Loneliness is consistently linked to functional decline in older adults, but the direction of this relationship remains unclear.
Some studies suggest decline causes loneliness, while others indicate loneliness drives decline. The evidence is mixed, with 7 of 47 studies finding no association.
Key findings
01Most reviewed studies found a positive association between loneliness and functional decline, including gait, IADL, and ADL disability.
02Seven of the 47 included studies found no association between loneliness and ADL/IADL disability.
03Longitudinal evidence regarding the direction of the relationship is mixed, with some studies suggesting functional decline leads to loneliness and others suggesting loneliness leads to decline.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
High heterogeneity in the definitions and measurement tools used for both loneliness and functional decline across the included studies. Inconsistent reporting of covariates such as cognitive function, which may confound the relationship between loneliness and physical function. The majority of studies were cross-sectional, limiting the ability to determine the direction of the association. Longitudinal studies provided conflicting evidence on causality, with some supporting reverse causation and others supporting loneliness as a predictor. Many studies did not report ethnicity, and samples from Western countries were often non-diverse, potentially limiting generalizability.
Declared interests
The authors disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating loneliness will necessarily improve physical function or reverse functional decline. The review found mixed evidence regarding the direction of the relationship, with some studies suggesting that functional decline leads to loneliness rather than the other way around.