AHRQ Publication No. 19-EHC009-EF, February 2019
- A review of the impact of interventions targeting social isolation/loneliness in community-dwelling older adults (60 years and older) on outcomes of social isolation/loneliness, health and health care utilization.
- Physical activity interventions to reduce social isolation showed the most promise at improving the health of older adults; however, effects were inconsistent and short-term. Three of the four interventions that found a positive effect on health or social isolation met more than once per week and involved a health care professional in the delivery of the intervention.
- Among interventions that improved social isolation or health/health care utilization outcomes, there was no clear relationship between effects on social isolation and effects on health or health care utilization.
- Looking across studies, we found several methodological issues: lack of consistency on whether and how social isolation and/or loneliness are measured; follow-up not being long enough to see health benefits, and lack of measurement of health care utilization or potential harms.
- Interventions that connect socially isolated older adults to health services are conceptually promising and need good-quality studies.
