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AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify the rate, degree and impact of loneliness in a sample of 332 older community-dwelling New Zealanders. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was used to collect self-reported data on loneliness, physical and mental health, age, sex and marital status. Eight per cent of the sample was found to be severely lonely, 44% moderately lonely and 48% not lonely. Participants were assigned to three groups by level of loneliness and compared on age, sex, marital status and health. RESULTS: The groups were found to differ on physical (F 2,329 = 5.3, P = 0.006) and mental health (F 2,329 = 13.7, P < 0.001) but not on age, sex or marital status. CONCLUSIONS: Those who were in the severely and moderately lonely groups scored lower on both health measures than those in the not lonely group.
Grow et al. (Fri,) studied this question.