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- Title
PRESJEČNO ISTRAŽIVANJE SOCIJALNE I EMOCIONALNE USAMLJENOSTI OSOBA STARIJE ŽIVOTNE DOBI U SJEVERNOJ HRVATSKOJ.
- Authors
NEUBERG, MARIJANA; KOSIR, INES; MEŠTROVIĆ, TOMISLAV; RIBIĆ, ROSANA; CIKAČ, TINA
- Abstract
Loneliness can be defined as an extremely uncomfortable emotional state that occurs when a person feels rejected or misunderstood by others and, thus, lacks a company for social activities and emotional intimacy, which represents an important issue in elderly population and a significant public health challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate social and emotional loneliness in two groups of elderly subjects (i.e., individuals in the institution vs. persons living in their homes) and to determine the extent to which loneliness is related to their sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 on a convenient sample of 300 respondents by using a questionnaire on social and emotional loneliness of elderly individuals (with the use of a standardized SELSA survey instrument). Results: The results have shown that both groups of elderly respondents are lonely and that the occurrence of loneliness differs with regard to their sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, a correlation was found between the experience of loneliness in the elderly and their place of residence; the problem was more prevalent in female individuals, while individuals over age 85 demonstrated a higher level of loneliness. Conclusion: The conducted research embedded in the theory of loneliness represents a significant contribution to the science of social gerontology by determining the existing situation in institutions and in respondents’ own homes. Further studies in this field will aim to develop appropriate models of loneliness prevention. Although this study revealed a number of characteristics that can instigate loneliness in older adults, more research will be needed in order to develop appropriate prevention models in the future.
- Subjects
LONELINESS; OLDER people; EMOTIONAL state; GERONTOLOGY; NUMBER theory; CROSS-sectional method
- Publication
Acta Medica Croatica, 2021, Vol 75, Issue 3, p191
- ISSN
1330-0164
- Publication type
Article