Prevalence and factors associated with loneliness among older adults in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Background: Loneliness is increasingly becoming a serious public health problem, particularly among older adults. Older adults are highly influenced by underlying factors such as unemployment/retirement, age-related diseases, and loss of relatives/friends; as a result, they are prone to loneliness. Despite several studies being conducted in developed countries and a few in African countries, there has been no documented systematic review evidence of this problem in the African region.

Objective: To determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of loneliness among older adults in Africa.

Method: Original studies on the prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Africa were retrieved from well-known international databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, as well as search engines like Google and Google Scholar. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the combined prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Africa. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 17 software.

Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included 18 cross-sectional observational studies that provided data on the prevalence of loneliness among older adults. The overall pooled prevalence of loneliness in this population was 37.86 [95% CI (30.11, 45.62), I² = 100%, p < 0.01]. The odds of experiencing loneliness among married older adults were 59% less likely to feel lonely [AOR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.24, 0.68)] compared to unmarried, alcohol intake, which was associated with higher odds of loneliness [AOR = 1.87, 95% CI (1.09, 4.11)] compared to did not take alcohol, and the presence of depressive symptoms had a substantially increased odds of loneliness [AOR = 3.13, 95% CI (1.03, 10.0)] compared to without depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: In this systematic review well over one-third of older adults suffered from loneliness which highlights that loneliness is a significant concern among older adults in Africa. Marital status, alcohol-drinking habits, and depressive symptoms were found significant predictors of loneliness among older adults in Africa.