The effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness in older persons: An umbrella review

Publication date: Available online 4 December 2019Source: International Journal of Africa Nursing SciencesAuthor(s): Jarvis Mary-Ann, Anita Padmanabhanunni, Yusentha Balakrishna, Jennifer ChippsAbstractAgeing is associated with social isolation and loneliness and can have deleterious effects on older persons’ mental and physical well-being. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been published on interventions addressing loneliness and social isolation among older persons living in the community or residential care. The present study is an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses targeting loneliness in older persons living in community/residential care settings using an adapted Joanna Briggs umbrella review methodology. A systematic electronic search of 12 databases was conducted using search terms synonymous with aged, intervention, social isolation, loneliness, and systematic review for the period 2000-2017. Two reviewers independently screened and selected relevant reviews and assessed the quality of the reviews using the AMSTAR 2. Sixteen reviews of varying quality were identified and included. The 16 reviews focussed on eInterventions, non-eIntereventions or interventions including both. Due to the heterogeneity of both the reviews, and the included primary studies, the primary studies within the reviews meeting the study criteria were extracted and classified according to the focus of the intervention. Nineteen unique RCT primary studies wer...
Source: International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences - Category: African Health Source Type: research