Understanding loneliness and its correlates among people with spinal cord injury

Purpose: To conduct the first known comprehensive examination of loneliness and its correlates in a diverse sample of people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 343 people with SCI provided responses to the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale-Version 3. We examined the relation of loneliness to measures of demographic, disability, physical health, and social characteristics.

Results: The majority (56%) of respondents had scores indicating high levels of loneliness. At least a quarter of respondents indicated that they often felt alone, left out, isolated, and lacking in companionship. At least a quarter rarely or never felt there were people who really understood them, with whom they could talk, and with whom they had a lot in common. In univariate analyses, loneliness was associated with several demographic, disability, and health characteristics suggesting potential risk factors. In multiple regression analyses, social characteristics (social integration, social support, satisfaction with social roles) were the most strongly associated with loneliness.

Conclusions: Our findings underscore the high prevalence of loneliness among people with SCI. Given the adverse health consequences of loneliness documented in the general literature, there is an urgent need for researchers, healthcare providers, and policy makers to address the loneliness crisis in this population.