Relationship between loneliness and the mental and physical components of health-related quality of life in older community-dwelling women

Background Loneliness is a growing public health concern among older adults, particularly women, and has been consistently linked to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Emotional and social loneliness are distinct dimensions that may relate differently to physical and mental health. This study examined the association between emotional and social loneliness and the physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) components of HRQoL in community-dwelling older women in Valencia (Spain) and explored the role of age and cohabitation. Methods A cross-sectional study (September 2024–April 2025) recruited women aged ≥60 years attending municipal activity centres. The participants completed sociodemographic surveys, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS), and the SF-12v2. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha. Correlations, group comparisons, and hierarchical linear regression analyses, adjusted for age and living situation, were conducted to evaluate associations between loneliness and HRQoL. Results The sample included 250 women (mean age 74.97 years); 57.6% reported moderate loneliness and 7.2% severe loneliness. Loneliness (total score) correlated with poorer scores for PCS-12 (ρ = −0.178) and MCS-12 (ρ = −0.315), with stronger associations for emotional loneliness (PCS-12 ρ = −0.215; MCS-12 ρ = −0.347). Social loneliness showed a weaker association with MCS-12 (ρ = −0.190) and none with PCS-12. In regression analyses, only emotional loneliness remained significantly associated with PCS-12 (B = −1.26, p = 0.002) and MCS-12 (B = −2.16, p < 0.001). Item-level analyses showed that feelings of emptiness were most strongly associated with poorer mental HRQoL (B = −7.20, p < 0.001). No individual item remained significantly associated with physical HRQoL after correction for multiple comparisons. Conclusions Emotional loneliness was more strongly associated with poorer HRQoL, particularly mental HRQoL, suggesting it as a potential target for future nursing interventions.