TABLE 1.
Sample characteristics by the presence of loneliness
| Characteristics | Loneliness present (n = 375) | No loneliness (n = 1616) | p‐value a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socio‐demographic status and cognitive function b | |||
| Mean age at referral (SD) | 79.1 (8.9) | 77.6 (9.6) | 0.007 |
| Female gender (%) | 62.9% | 55.5% | 0.009 |
| Non‐white ethnicity (%) | 26.7% | 28.8% | 0.465 |
| Diagnosis (%) | |||
| Dementia | 31.5% | 39.7% | 0.003 |
| Psychotic illness | 7.7% | 6.3% | 0.295 |
| Affective disorder | 27.2% | 12.6% | <0.001 |
| Anxiety disorder | 7.5% | 4.6% | 0.026 |
| Adjustment disorder | 10.1% | 5.2% | <0.001 |
| HoNOS symptoms/disorders (%) b | |||
| Agitated behaviour | 19.4% | 19.8% | 0.873 |
| Non‐accidental self‐injury | 10.2% | 4.2% | <0.001 |
| Problem‐drinking or drug taking | 6.9% | 5.0% | 0.176 |
| Cognitive problems | 47.0% | 58.5% | <0.001 |
| Depressed mood | 44.6% | 24.2% | <0.001 |
| Psychotic symptoms | 23.8% | 17.2% | 0.008 |
| Physical illness or disability | 63.5% | 59.9% | 0.255 |
| HoNOS functional problems (%) b | |||
| Activities of daily living | 52.5% | 51.9% | 0.845 |
| Living conditions | 18.4% | 14.0% | 0.059 |
| Daytime activities | 40.5% | 31.0% | 0.002 |
| Social relationships | 27.3% | 19.3% | 0.002 |
| Pharmacotherapy c | |||
| Antipsychotic | 29.1% | 23.6% | 0.028 |
| Antidepressant | 65.3% | 41.2% | <0.001 |
| Mood stabiliser | 6.4% | 5.3% | 0.382 |
Note: HoNOS, Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (a score of 2–4 indicates a problem).
a
t‐test or chi2 test.
b
At the time of referral.
c
In a 6 months' window around referral date.