The Impact of Loneliness on the Lives of Older Adults: A Bibliographic Review
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Objective: To analyze the impact of loneliness on older adults from a biopsychosocial perspective, emphasizing its determinants, biological and clinical consequences, and the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic strategies. Data Sources: A bibliographic and integrative review was conducted using publications indexed in PubMed, SciELO, and the Cochrane Library, including cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses focused on adults aged 60 years and older. Data Synthesis: The literature shows that loneliness and social isolation are strongly associated with depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, cognitive decline, increased healthcare utilization, and higher all-cause mortality. These conditions are also linked to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, increased cortisol, chronic low-grade inflammation, and accelerated biological aging, including telomere shortening and higher epigenetic age. Conclusion: Loneliness in later life should be understood as a major public health concern. Multicomponent interventions, digital inclusion, group-based activities, psychological support, and community-based engagement appear to be the most promising strategies to mitigate its effects and improve quality of life in older adults.
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