Association between willingness to participate in physical and social activities and loneliness in older adults: A stratified analysis by social isolation status.

Background: This study aimed to examine the relationship between willingness to participate in physical activity (PA) and social activity (SA) and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults and to identify differences depending on whether or not they were socially isolated.

Method: This study included 4,590 participants aged 65 years or older. The study used the UCLA Loneliness Scale and a questionnaire to assess the willingness to participate in PA/SA. Social isolation was defined as the presence of two or more of the following conditions: domestic isolation, less social contact, and social disengagement. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted with loneliness as the dependent variable and willingness to participate in PA/SA as the independent variable, stratified by social isolation.

Results: Those who experienced loneliness (n=1,595, 34.7%) were significantly more unwilling to participate in PA/SA than those who did not (p<0.05). For those in social isolation (n=321, 7.0%), there was no association between willingness to participate in PA/SA and loneliness [odds ratio (95% confidence interval); PA, 0.89 (0.41-1.92); SA, 0.52 (0.22-1.20)]. Those without social isolation showed no association between willingness to participate in PA and loneliness; however, there was a significant association with willingness to participate in SA [PA, 1.05 (0.81-1.36); SA, 0.54 (0.41-0.72)].

Conclusion: Among people without social isolation, the willingness to participate in SA was associated with reduced loneliness. However, the results suggest that environmental factors may limit activity and increase loneliness among people with social isolation, even when willing to participate in PA/SA.