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Loneliness and vascular biomarkers: the Dublin Healthy Ageing Study
Author(s) -
O'Luanaigh C.,
O'Connell H.,
Chin A.V.,
Hamilton F.,
Coen R.,
Walsh C.,
Walsh J.B.,
Coakley D.,
Molloy A.,
Scott J.,
Cunningham C.J.,
Lawlor B.A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.2695
Subject(s) - loneliness , gerontology , ageing , medicine , association (psychology) , population , disease , healthy ageing , depression (economics) , population ageing , psychology , psychiatry , environmental health , psychotherapist , economics , macroeconomics
Background Loneliness has been associated with poor physical health and a link has been suggested between the presence of loneliness, cardiovascular health and inflammatory markers. Objective To investigate the association between vascular disease biomarkers and loneliness in a community‐dwelling non‐demented elderly population. Design cross‐sectional community based assessment. Participants 466 subjects with mean age 75.45 (SD, 6.06) years. 208 (44.6%) were male. Results Higher levels of HbA1c, but not other vascular biomarkers were independently associated with being lonely. Conclusion Loneliness was associated with raised levels of HbA1c in a community dwelling elderly population. The mechanism for this association has yet to be elucidated but may reflect an abnormal stress response in people who are lonely. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.