Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
SHR Neuro Krebs Kardio Lipid Stoffw Microb
Schultz, A; Mayerl, H; Freidl, W; Stolz, E.
Frailty and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults: examining reciprocal associations within a measurement burst design.
BMC Geriatr. 2025; 25(1): 139
Doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-05808-w
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- Führende Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Schultz Anna Theresia
- Stolz Erwin
- Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Freidl Wolfgang
- Mayerl Hannes
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- Abstract:
- BACKGROUND: Previous research indicates that frailty and loneliness are interrelated. The aim of this study is to analyze their possible reciprocal relationship while disentangling between- and within-person effects. The separation of these sources of variance is vital for a better understanding of potential causal mechanisms. METHODS: Within the FRequent health Assessment In Later life (FRAIL70+) project, participants aged 70 and over completed two measurement bursts spread one year apart with seven biweekly assessments each. The final sample consisted of 426 individuals at baseline (Mage=77.0; SD = 5.4; 64.6% female). A latent curve model with structured residuals was used to examine the potential reciprocal relationship between frailty (37-item deficit accumulation approach) and loneliness (3-item UCLA scale). RESULTS: No relevant cross-lagged effects over repeated 2-week periods were found between frailty and loneliness at the within-person level, but increases in frailty co-occurred with increases in loneliness. At the between-person level, higher levels of frailty correlated with higher levels of loneliness in each burst. CONCLUSION: The findings do not support the assumption that frailty and loneliness share a causal reciprocal relationship over weeks and months. Nonetheless, higher levels of frailty were weakly associated with higher levels of loneliness at the within- and considerably associated at the between-person level, which may indicate a common source of both domains.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Humans - administration & dosage
- Loneliness - psychology
- Female - administration & dosage
- Aged - administration & dosage
- Male - administration & dosage
- Aged, 80 and over - administration & dosage
- Independent Living - psychology
- Frailty - psychology, epidemiology
- Frail Elderly - psychology
- Geriatric Assessment - methods
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- Loneliness
- Frailty
- Short-term
- Growth modeling
- Latent curve model with structured residuals