Loneliness impact on healthcare utilization in primary care: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: An increased number of patients seek help for loneliness in primary care.

Objective: To analyze whether loneliness was associated with a higher utilization of healthcare facilities.

Methods: Observational, retrospective study based on the review of routinely coded data in the digital medical record system in a random sample of patients aged 65 or older, stratified by population size of their residence area. A minimum sample size was estimated at 892 medical records. Loneliness was defined as the negative feeling that arises when there is a mismatch between the quantity and quality of a person's social relationships and those, they desire. Thirty-three primary care nurses (30 females and 3 males) were reviewing the data.

Results: A total of 932 medical records of patients were reviewed (72% belonged to female patients). Of these, 657 individuals were living alone (71.9%). DeJong Scale average scores was 8.9 points (SD 3.1, 95CI 8.6-9.1). The average annual attendance to primary care ranged from 12.2 visits per year in the case of family practice, 10.7 nurse, 0.7 social workers. The average number of home visits was 3.2, and the urgent consultations attended at health centers were 1.5 per year. Higher feelings of loneliness were associated with extreme values in the frequency of healthcare resource usage. Compared to their peers of the same age, the additional healthcare resource consumption amounted to €802.18 per patient per year.

Conclusion: Loneliness is linked to higher healthcare resource usage in primary care, with individuals experiencing poorer physical and mental health utilizing these resources up to twice as much as their peers of the same age.

Keywords: Atención primaria; Elderly; Loneliness; Medical overuse; Personas mayores; Primary care; Sobreutilización; Soledad.