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Although prior research has documented its prevalence, less is known about how loneliness has changed over time at a global level or how broader societal conditions shape these trends. This study examined long-term changes in loneliness among older adults and their associations with macro-level indicators.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A systematic search of 10 databases identified 125 studies (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">N<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 107,304) published between 1997 and 2025. Cross-temporal meta-analysis was conducted to assess trends in loneliness and its associations with societal indicators.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Overall loneliness among older adults showed a modest decline over time (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">d<\/jats:italic>\n                      = \u22120.331), with significant regional variation. Loneliness decreased in Asia and North America but increased in Europe, where levels were highest. No significant overall gender differences were observed, although women showed a slightly greater decline. Higher GDP per capita, life expectancy, and old-age dependency ratio were associated with lower loneliness, whereas unemployment was associated with higher loneliness. The influence of female labor force participation changed over time.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Over the past three decades, loneliness among older adults has generally improved, though regional and gender disparities persist in this trend, which remains closely linked to multiple macro-level social indicators. Future policy formulation must account for regional variations and the long-term effects of social change, promoting more targeted psychological support systems for older adults to effectively enhance their mental wellbeing and quality of life.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/00207640261478544","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T13:42:09Z","timestamp":1788529329000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Worldwide Changes in Loneliness Among Older Adults From 1997 to 2025: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-0302-3185","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chenchen","family":"Kang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 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