Table 4.
Comparison of differences in covariates assessed at baseline in 2004 across the 3 latent classes of loneliness trajectories over 10 years. Class 1 (high increasing loneliness), class 2 (intermediate stable loneliness), and class 3 (low stable loneliness).
| Variable | Class 1 high increasing (n=51) | Class 2 intermediate stable (n=162) | Class 3 low stable (n=279) | Statistical test of loneliness longitudinal class differences | P value |
| Daily digital use Q5a, n (%) | 4 (7.84) | 40 (24.69) | 120 (43.01) | 31.68 (2)b | <.001 |
| Female, n (%) | 40 (78.18) | 111 (68.39) | 150 (53.90) | 17.10 (2)b | <.001 |
| Waves participation, mean (SD) | 4.11 (0.90) | 4.25 (0.86) | 4.41 (0.82) | 3.84 (2, 489)c | .02 |
| Live alone Q5, n (%) | 29 (56.86) | 60 (37.04) | 45 (16.13) | 47.81 (2)b | <.001 |
| Live alone Q9d, n (%) | 41 (79.41) | 87 (53.72) | 69 (24.89) | 54.00 (2)b | <.001 |
| Age at Q5, mean (SD) | 73.25 (10.54) | 68.02 (9.87) | 64.48 (8.52) | 22.64 (2, 489)c | <.001 |
| Age range at Q5 (years) | 45-92 | 46–89 | 45-86 | —e | — |
| ISCEDf, mean (SD) | 2.11 (1.61) | 2.40 (1.76) | 2.67 (1.71) | 3.08 (2, 489)c | .04 |
| SRHg at Q5, mean (SD) | 2.43 (0.57) | 2.49 (0.56) | 2.68 (0.49) | 9.40 (2, 489)c | <.001 |
| CES-Dh at Q5, mean (SD) | 40.18 (6.17) | 36.72 (6.36) | 33.03 (5.11) | 45.72 (2, 489)c | <.001 |
| Openness at Q5, mean (SD) | 18.74 (3.77) | 18.14 (4.11) | 17.76 (3.80) | 1.97 (2, 489)c | .14 |
| Extraversion at Q5, mean (SD) | 4.78 (1.95) | 4.80 (2.31) | 5.56 (2.16) | 7.43 (2, 489)c | <.001 |
| Social support at Q5, mean (SD) | 9.56 (3.40) | 10.30 (2.71) | 11.28 (1.75) | 16.86 (2, 489)c | <.001 |
aQ5: questionnaire wave 5.
bChi-square (df) value.
cF test (df) value.
dQ9: questionnaire wave 9.
eNot applicable.
fISCED: International Standard Classification of Education.
gSRH: self-rated health.
hCES-D: Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.