Loneliness, Need to Belong, and Quality of Life Among Older Adults: A Gender Based Analysis

Abstract

Global health policies have been changed and it has increased the life expectancy of the elderly population raising concerns about the elderly’s well-being. Loneliness and the need to belong emerged as key influences on older adults' mental and physical health. This study aimed to investigate the interrelation of loneliness, belongingness, and life quality among the elderly in Pakistan with gender distinctions. Data from 210 participants 60 years and above were collected using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Neto, 2014), the Need to Belong scale (Leary, 2013), and the Quality-of-Life Scale (Phillips et al., 2002). Results were analyzed using statistical methods such as correlation analysis, regression analysis, and t-test, which highlighted significant correlations between loneliness, need to belong, and quality of life. Regression analysis revealed the impact of loneliness and belongingness on quality of life. Gender-wise, older males felt more lonely, while females sought more belongingness and reported better quality of life. The findings suggest to address loneliness and increase social connectedness to improve the well-being of older people. Keywords: loneliness, need to belong, quality of life, older population.