Loneliness among the elderly in Malaysia: a burgeoning problem

Loneliness is a pervasive issue affecting people of all ages, particularly the elderly. It is a growing public health issue, particularly among the elderly population. As the proportion of older adults continues to rise globally, including in Malaysia, addressing this has become a priority. It can lead to various adverse effects, including mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as physical health problems like cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of loneliness varies widely across different countries, including Malaysia. A meta-analysis by Chawla et al. (2021) estimated a pooled prevalence of loneliness among older adults at 28.5% across 29 countries.1 In Malaysia, studies on loneliness among the elderly remain limited. A 2014 national survey reported that 34.2% of the elderly felt lonely, with 9.6% experiencing loneliness frequently and 24.6% sometimes feeling lonely.2 Another local study by Teh et al. (2014) found that 32.5% of elderly respondents reported feeling lonely occasionally, while 20.9% indicated they felt lonely most of the time. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address this phenomenon in Malaysia's aging population. The prevalence among the elderly varies by region, gender, and sociodemographic factors, with rural areas reporting higher rates of loneliness than urban areas.3