{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,29]],"date-time":"2026-10-29T23:02:33Z","timestamp":1793314953533,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]],"date-time":"2024-09-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1726012800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Loneliness and social isolation are public health concerns. This study aimed to examine levels and trends in loneliness and social isolation among older adults (77+ years) in Sweden, assess subgroup variations, and determine associations between loneliness and social isolation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>The 1992, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2021 waves of the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (SWEOLD) were analysed through ordered logistic and linear regressions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>On average, 12.5 percent of the participants experienced loneliness often\/nearly always, while 6 percent were categorised as severely isolated. Loneliness and social isolation were more common in women, those aged 85+, and persons with basic education, in psychological distress or with mobility limitations. Loneliness was also associated with living alone. No increases in loneliness or isolation were identified; instead, loneliness tended to decrease in groups already experiencing lower levels of loneliness. Loneliness and social isolation were moderately associated each survey year.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study challenges perceptions of high and increasing levels of loneliness and social isolation. Given the impact on health and wellbeing and the ageing of populations, policy and practice should still address these issues and target vulnerable groups. Subgroup analyses in trends are scarce and should be explored further in future research.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1444990","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]],"date-time":"2024-09-11T04:25:37Z","timestamp":1726028737000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["National trends in loneliness and social isolation in older adults: an examination of subgroup trends over three decades in Sweden"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Lena","family":"Dahlberg","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isabelle","family":"von Saenger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mahwish","family":"Naseer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carin","family":"Lennartsson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Neda","family":"Agahi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Social isolation and loneliness among older people: advocacy brief","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113514","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113514","article-title":"The effect of loneliness on distinct health outcomes: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis","volume":"294","author":"Park","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1009","DOI":"10.1136\/heartjnl-2015-308790","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies","volume":"102","author":"Valtorta","year":"2016","journal-title":"Heart"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1307","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-023-01617-6","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 cohort studies of social isolation, loneliness and mortality","volume":"7","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Hum Behav"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e034967","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2019-034967","article-title":"Consensus statement: loneliness in older adults, the 21st century social determinant of health?","volume":"10","author":"Prohaska","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref6","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1106216","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.1106216","article-title":"Editorial: the impact of social isolation and loneliness on mental health and wellbeing","volume":"10","author":"Kadotani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e067068","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj-2021-067068","article-title":"The prevalence of loneliness across 113 countries: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"376","author":"Surkalim","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101331","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssmph.2022.101331","article-title":"US trends in social isolation, social engagement, and companionship \u23af nationally and by age, sex, race\/ethnicity, family income, and work hours, 2003\u20132020","volume":"21","author":"Kannan","year":"2023","journal-title":"SSM Population Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511606632.027","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation","volume-title":"Cambridge handbook of personal relationships","author":"de Jong Gierveld","year":"2006"},{"key":"ref11","first-page":"31","article-title":"Toward a social psychology of loneliness","volume-title":"Personal relationships in disorder","author":"Perlman","year":"1981"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691614568352","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review","volume":"10","author":"Holt-Lunstad","year":"2015","journal-title":"Perspect Psychol Sci"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2021.1876638","article-title":"A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults","volume":"26","author":"Dahlberg","year":"2022","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/acrefore\/9780190236557.013.393","article-title":"Social isolation and loneliness in old age","volume-title":"The Oxford encyclopedia of psychology and aging","author":"Tesch-R\u00f6mer","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0255088","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0255088","article-title":"Prevalence of loneliness amongst older people in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"16","author":"Chawla","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104904","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2022.104904","article-title":"Global prevalence of social isolation among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"107","author":"Teo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1017\/S1041610222000199","article-title":"Prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"35","author":"Su","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2017.11.004","article-title":"Lonelier than ever? Loneliness of older people over two decades","volume":"75","author":"Dahlberg","year":"2018","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1177\/0898264313518066","article-title":"Determinants of trends in loneliness among dutch older people over the period 2005-2010","volume":"26","author":"Honigh-de Vlaming","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Aging Health"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1177\/1403494817697511","article-title":"Prevalence of loneliness over ten years among the oldest old","volume":"45","author":"Nyqvist","year":"2017","journal-title":"Scand J Public Health"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1144","DOI":"10.1037\/pag0000365","article-title":"Are US older adults getting lonelier? Age, period, and cohort differences","volume":"34","author":"Hawkley","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychol Aging"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2015.06.004","article-title":"Loneliness of older people aged 70: a comparison of two Finnish cohorts born 20 years apart","volume":"61","author":"Eloranta","year":"2015","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"354","DOI":"10.1159\/000438991","article-title":"Cohort differences in psychosocial function over 20 years: current older adults feel less lonely and less dependent on external circumstances","volume":"62","author":"H\u00fcl\u00fcr","year":"2016","journal-title":"Gerontology"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1215","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbad062","article-title":"Have middle-aged and older Americans become lonelier? 20-year trends from the health and retirement study","volume":"78","author":"Surkalim","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. Ser. B"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"272","DOI":"10.1027\/1016-9040\/a000453","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review enriched with empirical evidence from a large-scale diary study","volume":"26","author":"Buecker","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur Psychol"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1161","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2021.1875195","article-title":"Loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic [Editorial]","volume":"25","author":"Dahlberg","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"660","DOI":"10.1037\/amp0001005","article-title":"Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"77","author":"Ernst","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am Psychol"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"557","DOI":"10.1017\/s1041610215001532","article-title":"Correlates and predictors of loneliness in older-adults: a review of quantitative results informed by qualitative insights","volume":"28","author":"Cohen-Mansfield","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105211","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2023.105211","article-title":"A global perspective on risk factors for social isolation in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"116","author":"Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003289012-6","article-title":"Socioeconomic correlates of loneliness and social isolation in later life","volume-title":"Loneliness and social isolation in old age. Correlates and implications","author":"Kaiser","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1007\/s10935-012-0271-2","article-title":"A review of social isolation: an important but underassessed condition in older adults","volume":"33","author":"Nicholson","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Prim Prev"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2022.11.008","article-title":"Factors associated with social isolation in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"24","author":"Wen","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Am Med Dir Assoc"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"367","DOI":"10.1007\/s11205-016-1252-2","article-title":"Measures of social isolation","volume":"131","author":"Zavaleta","year":"2017","journal-title":"Soc Indic Res"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"731","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyu057","article-title":"Data resource profile: the Swedish panel study of living conditions of the oldest old (SWEOLD)","volume":"43","author":"Lennartsson","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int J Epidemiol"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"764","DOI":"10.1177\/14034948231172249","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Swedish adults aged 77 years and older: age differences in lifestyle changes","volume":"51","author":"Augustsson","year":"2023","journal-title":"Scand J Public Health"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14034948241261720","article-title":"20-year trends in the social participation of the oldest old","author":"Augustsson","year":"","journal-title":"Scand J Public Health"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1038\/s44159-022-00124-1","article-title":"Loneliness across time and space","volume":"2","author":"Luhmann","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Rev Psychol"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1007\/s10433-009-0110-3","article-title":"Older adult loneliness: myths and realities","volume":"6","author":"Dykstra","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur J Ageing"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.3384\/ijal.1652-8670.072133","article-title":"Stereotypes of old people persist: a Swedish facts on aging quiz in a 23-year comparative perspective","volume":"2","author":"Tornstam","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Ageing Later Life"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1255","DOI":"10.1177\/07334648231159372","article-title":"Short-and medium-term effects of ageism on loneliness experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"42","author":"Shiovitz-Ezra","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Appl Gerontol"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2174\/1874827901306010001","article-title":"Loneliness among older people. Results from the Swedish National Study on aging and care \u2013 Blekinge","volume":"6","author":"Taube","year":"2013","journal-title":"Open Geriatr Med J"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1668","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbad099","article-title":"The risks of experiencing severe loneliness across middle and late adulthood","volume":"78","author":"Huxhold","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci"},{"key":"ref43","volume-title":"Promising approaches to reducing loneliness and isolation in later life","author":"Jopling","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-8251-6","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation interventions for older adults: a scoping review of reviews","volume":"20","author":"Fakoya","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"116163","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2023.116163","article-title":"Risk factors for loneliness: a literature review","volume":"334","author":"Barjakov\u00e1","year":"2023","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1177\/08854122211035131","article-title":"Planning, aging, and loneliness: reviewing evidence about built environment effects","volume":"37","author":"Lyu","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Plan Lit"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"E859","DOI":"10.1111\/hsc.13682","article-title":"Community-based responses to loneliness in older people: a systematic review of qualitative studies","volume":"30","author":"Noone","year":"2022","journal-title":"Health Soc Care Commun"},{"key":"ref48","volume-title":"SWEOLD 2014\u20132021. Trend shifts, non-response and attrition analysis","author":"Ramos Serrano","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S1041610224000425","article-title":"Loneliness prevalence of community-dwelling older adults and the impact of the mode of measurement, data collection, and country: a systematic review and meta-analysis","author":"Stegen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"ref50","volume-title":"The social world of older people. Understanding loneliness and social isolation in later life","author":"Victor","year":"2009"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1463","DOI":"10.1038\/s43587-023-00472-4","article-title":"Reflections on measures of social isolation among older adults","volume":"3","author":"Pomeroy","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Aging"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1444990\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]],"date-time":"2024-09-11T04:25:48Z","timestamp":1726028748000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1444990\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]]},"references-count":51,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1444990"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1444990","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,11]]},"article-number":"1444990"}}