Loneliness Factors in Older People and the Influence on Attitudes Toward Informal Care: A Study of Older Chinese People in Urban Areas

OBJECTIVES: Loneliness is thought to be more likely to occur in older people and influences their lives. This study aimed to verify the influence of loneliness in older Chinese people on their attitudes toward informal care, as well as the demographic, social, and economic factors that may cause loneliness. METHODS: Data was collected from older P (age: >60 years) using an online questionnaire. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the associations between demographic, social, and economic factors, loneliness, and attitudes toward informal care. RESULTS: Results have shown that cohabitation and family savings could significantly negatively influence loneliness. Educational background and cohabitation could significantly positively influence attitudes toward informal care. However, loneliness could significantly negatively influence attitudes toward informal care. CONCLUSION: Older people living alone and with worse economic conditions may need attention from the community and society because they are more likely to suffer from loneliness. Loneliness may also significantly impact older people’s attitudes toward long-term care. Older people are more likely to feel lonely may have more negative attitudes toward informal care. Communities need to make more efforts to improve community health services or formal care services for these older people to address situations where informal care is not sufficiently provided.