Impact of a Multidimensional Community-Based Intervention on the Feeling of Unwanted Loneliness and Its Consequences: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background/

Objectives

Unwanted loneliness is the gap between the social relations a person has and those they want. The main objective of this research is to assess the impact of a multidimensional community-based intervention on the feeling of unwanted loneliness in the population over the age of 65 years old who live alone, are under social risk, or are socially isolated living on La Palma island.

Methods

A quasi-experimental study was designed with pre- and post-intervention (at three months) measurements, with no control group or randomization. A sample comprising 90 subjects was estimated for a small-moderate (0.3) or large (0.8) effect size, with a significance level (α) of 0.05 and a power (1 - β) of 0.8.

Results

The intervention was initiated with 90 participants in 8 of the 9 Basic Health Districts from the La Palma Health Area. A moderate effect size (d = -0.77; 95%CI [-1.02, -0.52]) was evidenced in self-perceived loneliness. Three months after the proposed community-based intervention, significant differences were evidenced in adequate eating habits, physical activity, support network, anxiety, depression, and perceived social support.

Conclusions

Compartiendo Salud (Sharing Health) presents promising results, as it exerts positive effects on health management among older adults that live alone. The results of this intervention could serve as a model to design replicable strategies in other communities, improving the quality of life and levels of perceived social support in older adults.