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

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. To determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of loneliness among older adults in Africa. 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. 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), I 2 = 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. 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.