Association between Social Isolation and Depression among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background:Social isolation is a significant public health concern among older adults, strongly associated with depression, yet limited research has explored this relationship in Middle Eastern contexts.

Aim:To examine the association between social isolation and depression among community-dwelling older adults in Saudi Arabia and identify relevant sociodemographic predictors.

Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 elderly individuals attending healthcare facilities at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6), and depressive symptoms were measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15). Sociodemographic data were collected via structured interviews. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results:Social isolation affected 46.2% of participants, while depression was prevalent in 56.9%. A significant inverse correlation was found between LSNS-6 and GDS-15 scores (r=-0.62, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that moderate-to-severe social isolation significantly increased depression risk (Adjusted OR=4.13, 95% CI=1.86–9.16; p<0.001).

Conclusion:Social isolation was highly prevalent among community-dwelling older adults and independently predicted depressive symptoms, underscoring the need for routine screening and interventions aimed at enhancing social connectivity.