THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF LONELINESS AND THE LEVELS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG MEMBERS OF THE PURI TANJUNG MEKAR ELDERLY CLUB

Abstrak

Background: Loneliness is a global issue affecting individuals of all ages, especially the elderly. The elderly are more susceptible to loneliness due to reduced social interactions and the loss of contact with coworkers. Loneliness significantly impacts both physical and mental health, most often anxiety and depression. This greatly affects the quality of life of the elderly. The study aims to determine the relationship between loneliness and levels of anxiety and depression among members of the Puri Tunjung Mekar elderly club Denpasar, Bali. Methods: The research method was quantitative analytical with a cross-sectional design. Data was obtained from interview and questionnaire of UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Elderly with mild loneliness experience moderate anxiety and mild depression, but all elderly with severe loneliness experience severe anxiety and depression. Fisher exact test indicated a significant association between loneliness and anxiety (p = 0.023), and between loneliness and depression (p = 0.001). Conclusions: These findings highlight a significant relationship between loneliness and anxiety and depression among the elderly. Understanding the relationship between loneliness and mental issue has become a concern for various parties to give a comprehensive management so that the quality of life of the elderly is optimal.