The relationship between loneliness, death anxiety, and social networks in community-dwelling older adults.

IF 2.2 3区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Psychology Health & Medicine Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-24 DOI:10.1080/13548506.2025.2575408

Fatma Zafer, Nilgün Kuru Alici

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between loneliness, death anxiety, and social networks in community-dwelling older adults. A descriptive correlational study was conducted with 250 participants aged ≥65 years (mean age: 70.04 ± 5.65) between January and March 2024. Data were collected using the Loneliness Scale for Older Adults, Death Anxiety Scale, and Lubben Social Network Scale. A positive and moderate relationship was found between loneliness and death anxiety (r = 0.406, p < .001), and a negative and moderate relationship was found between loneliness and social network (r = -0.410, p < .001). While there was no significant relationship between death anxiety and social network scores, a negative and low-level relationship was found between the social network of friends and the sub-dimension scores of thinking about death and witnessing (p < .05). These results highlight that understanding loneliness, death anxiety, and social networks in older adults is important for improving their quality of life and emotional well-being. Strengthening older adults' social ties and developing educational and intervention programs may help reduce loneliness and alleviate death anxiety.

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社区居住老年人孤独感、死亡焦虑与社会网络的关系

本研究的目的是确定社区居住老年人的孤独、死亡焦虑和社会网络之间的关系。在2024年1月至3月对250名年龄≥65岁（平均年龄：70.04±5.65）的参与者进行描述性相关研究。数据采用老年人孤独量表、死亡焦虑量表和Lubben社会网络量表收集。孤独与死亡焦虑呈正相关(r = 0.406, p r = -0.410, p p

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来源期刊

Psychology Health & Medicine PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

200

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Psychology, Health & Medicine is a multidisciplinary journal highlighting human factors in health. The journal provides a peer reviewed forum to report on issues of psychology and health in practice. This key publication reaches an international audience, highlighting the variation and similarities within different settings and exploring multiple health and illness issues from theoretical, practical and management perspectives. It provides a critical forum to examine the wide range of applied health and illness issues and how they incorporate psychological knowledge, understanding, theory and intervention. The journal reflects the growing recognition of psychosocial issues as they affect health planning, medical care, disease reaction, intervention, quality of life, adjustment adaptation and management. For many years theoretical research was very distant from applied understanding. The emerging movement in health psychology, changes in medical care provision and training, and consumer awareness of health issues all contribute to a growing need for applied research. This journal focuses on practical applications of theory, research and experience and provides a bridge between academic knowledge, illness experience, wellbeing and health care practice.