Health & body · 2025
Were social isolation and loneliness linked to chronic pain in older adults?
Among Chinese adults aged 60 and older who had no chronic pain in 2011, both social isolation and loneliness were associated with a greater likelihood of chronic pain over seven years. The study found no statistically significant interaction between isolation and loneliness.
Details
As societies worldwide age rapidly, social isolation and loneliness are as prevalent and consequential for older adults’ health as other well-recognized risk factors. The study investigated their association with the prevalence of chronic pain among Chinese older adults.
Researchers analyzed participants in the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) who had no chronic pain at the 2011 baseline, along with their chronic pain status in the 2018 wave. The exposures were social isolation and loneliness. Social isolation was assessed using a comprehensive multifactor measure, while loneliness and chronic pain were self-reported. Researchers used logistic regression to analyze the associations with chronic pain prevalence.
Among adults aged 60 and older without chronic pain at baseline, 1,669 participants (53.68%) developed chronic pain over seven years, while 1,440 did not. Social isolation was associated with elevated odds of chronic pain over seven years (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.01–1.45), as was loneliness (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.36–1.92). There was no statistically significant interaction between social isolation and feelings of loneliness.
The authors concluded that older adults experiencing social isolation or loneliness tended to experience chronic pain, emphasizing the importance of incorporating social support and community engagement into chronic pain treatment strategies.
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