Loneliness among community-dwelling older adults during the early stage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Taiwan: exploring community-level and individual-level predictors

Background Loneliness has arisen in policy agenda as a major societal challenge in many western countries. However, little empirical evidence has been provided on loneliness of community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan, a fast-ageing society in east Asia. This study aimed to describe the status quo of and explore the risk factors to loneliness among Taiwanese ageing population during the covid-19 pandemic in Taiwan. Methods We used secondary data analysis of University Responsibility dataset from National Cheng Kung University in Tainan city, Taiwan. 530 older adults aged 65 and above were included in this study. Loneliness was measured by the 6-item De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale (2006). We used hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis to examine the community level risk factors (i.e. non-age-friendly environment, lower social capital in the community, lower levels of social support from family/friends) and individual risk factors (i.e. negative perceptions of physical living environment, lower levels of social participation). We also included demographic covariates of age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, educational level, health and income in the analysis. Results Regarding the status quo of loneliness of our sample (N = 530), 59.2% suffer from moderate loneliness while 19.6% severe loneliness. The predictors at the community level include : social capital in the community (β = -0.562, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-0.975, -0.149]), while at the individual level: housing satisfaction (β = -0.702, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-1.218, -0.186]). Three covariates (i.e. self-rated health, marital status, low-income status) are also significant predictors. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of both community level factors and individual factors in delivering effective interventions to alleviate loneliness among older Taiwanese adults. We put forward two practical suggestions. First, community-based initiatives to alleviate loneliness should focus on building community social capital. Second, fostering older adults’ housing satisfaction can be beneficial for effective intervention.