Determinants of loneliness in older immigrants: A scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: Older immigrants face several factors that increase their feeling of loneliness. Identifying determinants of loneliness is essential for designing relevant interventions that address to mitigate loneliness. Objective: This scoping review aimed to generate a list of factors and map those that are associated with older immigrants’ experience of loneliness. Methods: Arksey and O’Malley’s revised framework informed this scoping review. Various databases were searched to locate quantitative studies that were published in English between 2000 and 2023 that examined determinants of loneliness in older immigrants. In total, 23 studies were included. Extracted data (related to study characteristics, and results pertaining to the association of determinants with loneliness) were summarized using the vote counting method. Results: The results indicated that older immigrants experienced high levels of loneliness, which were associated with poor general and mental health. In addition, being married; having adequate income; large social network sizes, and frequent contacts with network members; participation in social activities; and a high sense of belonging to society; reduced older immigrants’ feeling of loneliness. Conclusion: Healthcare and social service providers can work with older immigrants to co-design interventions that target potentially modifiable determinants that address loneliness.