SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Loneliness in High Need Hospitalized Patients: A Cross Sectional Analysis

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This cross-sectional study examined loneliness in a high-need adult population enrolled in a hospital-based comprehensive care program at a tertiary academic center. High-need patients were defined using HCC score criteria, multimorbidity, and high readmission risk. Loneliness was measured with the De Jong Giervald Loneliness Scale and categorized as not lonely, moderately lonely, or severely lonely. Depression was measured with PHQ-9, alcohol use with AUDIT-C, and prior-year inpatient admissions were also assessed.<br /><br />Among 34 enrolled patients, 53% were female and 35% were Black/African American. The cohort was medically complex, with a median Charlson score of 5 and a median LACE score of 74.5. Loneliness was highly prevalent: 26% were not lonely, 59% moderately lonely, and 15% severely lonely. Median PHQ-9 score was 14, indicating substantial depressive symptoms. Alcohol use was low, with a median AUDIT-C score of 0, and median inpatient admissions in the prior year were 2.<br /><br />In multivariable proportional odds logistic regression adjusted for age, gender, race, and LACE score, higher loneliness was strongly associated with higher depression scores (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.16–4.95). Loneliness was not significantly associated with alcohol use (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.55–2.53) or the number of inpatient admissions in the prior year (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.43–1.43).<br /><br />The authors conclude that loneliness is common in high-need patients and is linked to depression, but not to alcohol use or recent hospital utilization in this small sample. They recommend larger studies to confirm these findings and development of interventions to identify and address loneliness in this high-risk population.

Asset Subtitle

Michael D. McCann

Meta Tag

Author List Eduard Vasilevskis, Francis Balucan, Michael D. McCann, Scott Lee, Yaping Shi

Category Research

Concept Loneliness

Concept Prevalence

Concept Depression

Concept Medically Complex Patient

Concept Alcohol Use

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Presenting Author Michael D. McCann

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

loneliness

high-need patients

depression

PHQ-9

hospital-based care

multimorbidity

readmission risk

cross-sectional study

AUDIT-C

inpatient admissions

Loneliness

Prevalence

Depression

Medically Complex Patient

Alcohol Use