Older adults’ experiences of loneliness over the lifecourse – dataset

Older adults’ experiences of loneliness over the lifecourse 

This data set contains unique information about  older adults’ experiences of loneliness across the lifecourse and the relationship with current loneliness.  A lifecourse approach to understanding loneliness in later life links this outcome to  long term biological, behavioural, psycho-social, and environmental processes, and exposures. This approach examines adult health outcomes and disparities and distinguishes  between the timing (critical exsposure  and  number of exposures  (cumulative disadvantage).

Our sample consists of  6,708 people aged 65 years and older, resident in the UK, who participated  in the BBC Loneliness Experiment in spring 2018. Loneliness was assessed using the 3 item UCLA Loneliness Scale, using a threshold score of 6+ to define loneliness. Participants were asked if they had experienced loneliness in 5 life-stages ranging from childhood to old age and, if so, at which stage of life they had they experienced loneliness most intensely.  The data set also includes details of  age, gender,marital status, time spent alone, parent andcaer status, self-rated health and financial status and neighbourhood trust.

We show that 71% reported they had experienced loneliness at some previous stage in their life.    
Having had three or more prior life stage experiences of loneliness was an independent risk factor for current loneliness. This aligns with the cumulative disadvantage model of life course exsposures as the odds of experiencing loneliness in later life increased with the number of prior experiences, demonstrating a dose-response relationship. 
In further research we will    examine the importance of the number and timing of previous loneliness experiences and investigate the strategies used to cope with loneliness across the lifecourse as a pathway to developing more effective and personalised loneliness interventions.

The analysis of these data is published in  Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104740

本数据集收录了关于老年人在生命历程中孤独体验的独特信息，及其与当前孤独感之间的关系。以生命历程为视角研究晚年孤独感，将此结果与长期的生物学、行为学、心理社会和环境过程及其暴露相关联。此方法审视成人健康状况及差异，并区分了暴露的时机（关键暴露次数及暴露数量，累积劣势）。

我们的样本包括6,708名居住在英国、年龄在65岁及以上的受试者，他们参与了2018年春季的BBC孤独感实验。孤独感通过UCLA孤独感量表的三项评估，以6分及以上的阈值为孤独感的定义。受试者被问及他们在从童年到老年的五个生命阶段中是否经历过孤独，以及如果经历过，他们在哪个生命阶段体验到的孤独感最为强烈。数据集还包括年龄、性别、婚姻状况、独处时间、父母及照顾者状况、自我评价的健康状况和财务状况以及社区信任度等详细信息。

结果显示，71%的受试者报告称他们在生命中的某个阶段经历过孤独。拥有三个或更多先前的生命阶段孤独体验是当前孤独感的独立风险因素。这与生命历程暴露的累积劣势模型相一致，因为晚年经历孤独感的几率随着先前经历数量的增加而增加，显示出剂量-反应关系。

在进一步的研究中，我们将探讨先前孤独体验的数量和时机的重要性，并调查应对生命历程中孤独感的策略，作为开发更有效、更具个性化的孤独感干预措施的方法。

这些数据的分析已发表在《老年病学与老年医学档案》上：10.1016/j.archger.2022.104740。