LONELINESS 5
1
Loneliness/Isolation As A Public Health Issue
Description of the Topic
Loneliness and social isolation are significant problems in public health. This problem mainly affects older people and can also affect nonelderly people and other populations within the community, such as mentally ill people and people with disabilities (Fakoya, McCorry & Donnelly, 2020). Generally, people that have reduced social integration and relationships for whichever reason suffer from loneliness. Loneliness can also be caused by restraint in individuals’ mobility, such as those confined in prisons and sickbed people. In most cases, loneliness leads to mental health problems such as depression, high-stress levels, suicidal thoughts, rejection, and hopelessness. It can also be a risk factor for a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, drug abuse, and unhealthy alcohol consumption.
Topic purpose and interest
The selection of this topic has been significantly contributed by observing the challenges that elderly people go through due to loneliness and social isolation. It has also been influenced by understanding the importance of social integration and relationship building in society. This fascinated me to explore the topic and provide a solution to reduce loneliness and social isolation among elderly people.
This topic is relevant in today’s healthcare field due to various reasons. First, it is a public health issue since it involves a section of the community members, especially the elderly. Also, the topic is among the current healthcare concerns among the stakeholders in community health since it affects the physical and psychological well-being of the populations affected (Stojanovic et al., 2017). The public health stakeholders are currently putting efforts to enhance mental health in the community and all its risk factors, including loneliness and social isolation. Therefore, the topic addresses a relevant and current issue in public health.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the public health issue of loneliness/isolation and provide an evidence-based intervention that would solve the problem and enhance community health. By exploring this problem, I would establish the data about the elderly patients experiencing isolation, identify the health implications associated with loneliness, and determine the best solution that can be implemented to address this problem. The project aims to introduce a solution that would address the problem of loneliness among the target population. The goal is realistic as it would be measurable based on the outcomes.
Problem Statement
This topic seeks to address the public health problem of loneliness/isolation in the community. The specific problem is that a section of the community, especially the elderly, is usually isolated from the rest of the community due to a lack of active engagement in daily activities, dependency, and reduced mobility (Wu, 2020). This isolation usually leads to loneliness, which can affect the victim’s mental health and contribute to other health problems. Therefore, the focus of my final paper would be to explore the problem of loneliness and provide an evidence-based intervention to address it.
The target population for this discussion is elder adults that are socially isolated in the community (adults above 65 years old). This is among the vulnerable populations in the community that is susceptible to loneliness due to their old age and the physical health challenges associated with aging. For instance, they cannot walk for long away from their place of residence, and their mobility is constrained around the compound. This population would benefit from the evidence-based intervention that the paper will provide (Shah, Nogueras, van Woerden & Kiparoglou, 2021). The prospected outcome of the intervention will be the reduction of the feeling of loneliness among the targeted population.
References
Fakoya, O. A., McCorry, N. K., & Donnelly, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation interventions for older adults: a scoping review of reviews. BMC public health, 20(1), 1-14.
Shah, S. G. S., Nogueras, D., van Woerden, H. C., & Kiparoglou, V. (2021). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Digital Technology Interventions to Reduce Loneliness in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(6), e24712.
Stojanovic, J., Collamati, A., Duplaga, M., Onder, G., La Milia, D. I., Ricciardi, W., … & Poscia, A. (2017). Decreasing loneliness and social isolation among the older people: a systematic search and narrative review. Epidemiology Biostatistics and Public Health, 14(2, suppl. 1).
Wu, B. (2020). Social isolation and loneliness among older adults in the context of COVID-19: a global challenge. Global health research and policy, 5(1), 1-3.
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