List of Publications by Department for the Academic Year A systematic review to identify assessment instruments for social isolation or loneliness in adults with heart failure
Abstract
Social isolation and loneliness are frequently associated with heart failure. It is unclear how these
constructs are assessed in adults living with heart failure which warrants further exploration. This review
aimed to identify how social isolation and loneliness is assessed in adults living with heart failure. This is
a systematic review reported according to PRISMA and registered in Prospero on 18 March 2024
[CRD42024518571]. The bibliographic databases, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched
from inception to 20 March 2024. Original quantitative studies assessing loneliness and/or social
isolation of adults living with heart failure using a patient-reported instrument and written in English
language were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal checklists were used to assess
the quality of included studies. The results were presented narratively. Thirty studies (17 cohort studies,
9 cross-sectional studies, 2 RCTs, and 2 case control) with 529,665 participants (mean age ranged from
52 to 83 years, 57% were women) were included. The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness
Scale was the most commonly used instrument to assess loneliness while composite measures of
network size and frequency of social contacts were the most commonly used to assess social isolation
in adults living with heart failure. Social isolation and loneliness exert deleterious effects on both mental
and physical health, significantly diminishing life satisfaction. The improved use of social isolation and
loneliness assessment instruments may contribute to more effective interventions, ultimately enabling
care that may enhance the health outcomes and quality of life of adults living with heart failure.
Journal/Conference Information
npj Cardiovascular Health,DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44325-025-00044-y, ISSN: 2948-2836 , Volume: 2, Issue: 1, Pages Range: 10-11,