RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation in a population over 65 cared by a urban primary health team and to identify its main characteristics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study by a telephone survey. SETTING: Basic health area of Barcelona. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of assigned population of 65 or more years old. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: UCLA Loneliness Scale and Lubben Social Network Scale. RESULTS: 278 persons were interviewed (61,36% response rate), 172 women and 106 men, with an average age of 76,7 ± 7,9 years. A higher proportion of factors related to loneliness were identified in non-respondents. Loneliness was closely correlated to social r = 0,736. Moderate loneliness, with a prevalence of 16,54%, was associated to walking difficulties (OR 3,09, 95%, IC 1,03-9,29), cognitive impairment (OR 3,97, 95% IC 1,19-13,27) and architectural barriers (OR 5.29, 95% IC 2.12-13,23), although severe loneliness, with a prevalence of 18,71% was only associated to living together with less people (OR 0.61, 95% IC 0.40-0.93). Social isolation, with a prevalence of 38,85% was associated to aging (OR 1,06, 95% IC 1,02-1,10) and to the belief of having health problems (OR 4,35, 95% IC 1,11-16,99). CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness and social isolation are of high prevalence. The telephone survey underestimates its prevalence. There are 2profiles of loneliness, one with moderate associated to the socialisation difficulties related to aging and another severe not related to health or to barriers that only can be identified by surveys or clinical interview. Interventions must be targeted to each of these profiles.