Factors Affecting Rural Elderly Loneliness during Covid-19 in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to loneliness among rural elderly people during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: The study employed a survey research design. We employed a simple random sampling technique. We used the Bangla version of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA-20) to measure loneliness among the rural elderly. We collected the data through an interview schedule from March to May 2021. Results: Loneliness prevailed among the rural elderly. Over 87% of respondents experienced high levels of loneliness, with mean scores indicating moderate to severe social isolation. Feelings of disconnection, lack of companionship, and the absence of someone to turn to were commonly reported. Multiple logistic regression identified age, family type, and education as significant predictors of loneliness. Elderly individuals aged 60–78 years were three times more likely to experience loneliness than those aged 79–97 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.076; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.098–8.611; P = .032). Those living in nuclear families were 3.3 times more likely to feel lonely than those in extended families (AOR: 3.326; 95% CI: 1.481–7.472; P = .004). Education also influenced loneliness, with illiterate (AOR: 4.805; 95% CI: 1.289–17.913; P = .019) and primary-educated elderly (AOR: 5.988; 95% CI: 1.648–21.762; P = .007) experiencing higher levels of loneliness. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of community and government interventions to mitigate social isolation among the rural elderly during public health crises.