Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Loneliness, Cardiovascular Disease, and Diabetes Prevalence in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The relationship between loneliness and both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been understudied in U.S. Hispanics, a group at high risk for DM. We examined whether loneliness was associated with CVD and DM, and whether age, sex, marital status, and years in U.S moderated these associations. Participants were 5,313 adults (M (SD) age = 42.39 (15.01)) enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Loneliness was assessed via the 3-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Level of reported loneliness was low. Loneliness was significantly associated with CVD: OR 1.10 (CI 1.01–1.20) and DM: OR 1.08 (CI 1.00–1.16) after adjusting for depression, demographics, body mass index, and smoking status. Age, sex, marital status, and years in U.S. did not moderate associations. Given that increased loneliness is associated with higher cardiometabolic disease prevalence beyond depressive symptoms, regardless of age, sex, marital status, or years in the U.S., Hispanic adults experiencing high levels of loneliness may be a subgroup at particularly elevated risk for CVD and DM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Peplau LA, Padesky C, Hamilton M. Satisfaction in lesbian relationships. J Homosex. 1982;8(2):23–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Baumeister RF, Leary MR. The need to belong: desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychol Bull. 1995;117(3):497–529.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Perissinotto CM, Stijacic Cenzer I, Covinsky KE. Loneliness in older persons: a predictor of functional decline and death. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(14):1078–83.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Donovan NJ, Wu Q, Rentz DM, Sperling RA, Marshall GA, Glymour MM. Loneliness, depression and cognitive function in older U.S. adults. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017;32(5):564–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Murthy V. Work and the Loneliness Epidemic. Harvard Business Review. 2017.

  6. Brody JE. The surprising effects of loneliness on health. New York: The New York Times; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Yeginsu C. U.K. appoints a minister for loneliness. New York: The New York Times; 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Caplan S. Latinos, acculturation, and acculturative stress: a dimensional concept analysis. Policy, politics & nursing practice. 2007;8(2):93–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chang EC, Sanna LJ, Hirsch JK, Jeglic EL. Loneliness and negative life events as predictors of hopelessness and suicidal behaviors in Hispanics: evidence for a diathesis-stress model. J Clin Psychol. 2010;66(12):1242–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Chang EC, Hirsch JK, Sanna LJ, Jeglic EL, Fabian CG. A preliminary study of perfectionism and loneliness as predictors of depressive and anxious symptoms in Latinas: a top-down test of a model. J Couns Psychol. 2011;58(3):441–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Triandis HC, Marin G, Betancourt H, Lisansky J, Chang B. Dimensions of familism among Hispanic and mainstream Navy recruits. Champaign: University of Illinois, Department of Psychology; 1982.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Gerst-Emerson K, Shovali TE, Markides KS. Loneliness among very old Mexican Americans: findings from the Hispanic established populations epidemiologic studies of the elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2014;59(1):145–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Luo Y, Hawkley LC, Waite LJ, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: a national longitudinal study. Soc Sci Med. 2012;74(6):907–14.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Thurston RC, Kubzansky LD. Women, loneliness, and incident coronary heart disease. Psychosom Med. 2009;71(8):836–42.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Whisman MA, Uebelacker LA. A longitudinal investigation of marital adjustment as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. Health Psychol: Off J Div Health Psychol, Am Psychol Assoc. 2012;31(1):80–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Nonogaki K, Nozue K, Oka Y. Social isolation affects the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes in mice. Endocrinology. 2007;148(10):4658–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Valtorta NK, Kanaan M, Gilbody S, Ronzi S, Hanratty B. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. Heart. 2016;102(13):1009–116.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Schneiderman N, Llabre M, Cowie CC, Barnhart J, Carnethon M, Gallo LC, et al. Prevalence of diabetes among Hispanics/Latinos from diverse backgrounds: the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Diabetes Care. 2014;37(8):2233–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Tomaka J, Thompson S, Palacios R. The relation of social isolation, loneliness, and social support to disease outcomes among the elderly. J Aging Health. 2006;18(3):359–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Borys S, Perlman D. Gender differences in loneliness. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 1985;11(1):63–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Daviglus ML, Talavera GA, Aviles-Santa ML, Allison M, Cai J, Criqui MH, et al. Prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases among Hispanic/Latino individuals of diverse backgrounds in the United States. JAMA. 2012;308(17):1775–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Pinquart M. Loneliness in married, widowed, divorced, and never-married older adults. J Soc Pers Relationsh. 2003;20(1):31–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness matters: a theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Ann Behav Med. 2010;40(2):218–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Gallo LC, Penedo FJ, Carnethon M, Isasi CR, Sotres-Alvarez D, Malcarne VL, et al. The Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos sociocultural ancillary study: sample, design, and procedures. Ethn Dis. 2014;24(1):77–83.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sorlie PD, Aviles-Santa LM, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Kaplan RC, Daviglus ML, Giachello AL, et al. Design and implementation of the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos. Ann Epidemiol. 2010;20(8):629–41.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Lavange LM, Kalsbeek WD, Sorlie PD, Aviles-Santa LM, Kaplan RC, Barnhart J, et al. Sample design and cohort selection in the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos. Ann Epidemiol. 2010;20(8):642–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Hughes ME, Waite LJ, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies. Res Aging. 2004;26(6):655–72.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Russell D, Peplau LA, Cutrona CE. The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: concurrent and discriminant validity evidence. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1980;39(3):472–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Russell DW. UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3): reliability, validity, and factor structure. J Pers Assess. 2010;66(1):20–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Andresen EM, Malmgren JA, Carter WB, Patrick DL. Screening for depression in well older adults: evaluation of a short form of the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Am J Prev Med. 1994;10(2):77–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gonzalez P, Nunez A, Merz E, Brintz C, Weitzman O, Navas EL, et al. Measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10): findings from HCHS/SOL. Psychol Assess. 2016;29(4):372–81.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Irwin M, Artin KH, Oxman MN. Screening for depression in the older adult: criterion validity of the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Arch Intern Med. 1999;159(15):1701–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Schafer JL, Graham JW. Missing data: our view of the state of the art. Psychol Methods. 2002;7(2):147–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Go AS, Mozaffarian D, Roger VL, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Blaha MJ, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics–2014 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2014;129(3):e28–292.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Radloff LS. The CES-D Scale: a Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population. Appl Psychol Meas. 1977;1:385–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Wassertheil-Smoller S, Arredondo EM, Cai J, Castaneda SF, Choca JP, Gallo LC, et al. Depression, anxiety, antidepressant use, and cardiovascular disease among Hispanic men and women of different national backgrounds: results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Ann Epidemiol. 2014;24(11):822–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Chen H, Cohen P, Chen S. How big is a big odds ratio? interpreting the magnitudes of odds ratios in epidemiological studies. Commun Stat-Simul Comput. 2010;39(4):860–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Holmen K, Furukawa H. Loneliness, health and social network among elderly people–a follow-up study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2002;35(3):261–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Golden SH, Lazo M, Carnethon M, Bertoni AG, Schreiner PJ, Diez Roux AV, et al. Examining a bidirectional association between depressive symptoms and diabetes. JAMA. 2008;299(23):2751–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Black SA, Markides KS, Ray LA. Depression predicts increased incidence of adverse health outcomes in older Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(10):2822–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Hermes GL, Rosenthal L, Montag A, McClintock MK. Social isolation and the inflammatory response: sex differences in the enduring effects of a prior stressor. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2006;290(2):R273–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Kaplan MS, Marks G. Adverse effects of acculturation: psychological distress among Mexican American young adults. Soc Sci Med. 1990;31(12):1313–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Penninx BW, van Tilburg T, Kriegsman DM, Boeke AJ, Deeg DJ, van Eijk JT. Social network, social support, and loneliness in older persons with different chronic diseases. J Aging Health. 1999;11(2):151–68.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

HCHS/SOL was supported by contracts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to the University of North Carolina (Grant No. N01-HC65233), University of Miami (Grant No. N01-HC65234), Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Grant No. N01-HC65235), Northwestern University (Grant No. N01-HC65236), and San Diego State University (Grant No. N01-HC65237). The HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study was supported by Grant 1 RC2 HL101649 (Gallo/Penedo) from the NIH/NHLBI. SAF was supported by NHLBI T32 institutional training Grant HL007426-37. Authors thank staff and participants of HCHS/SOL for their important contributions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Flipse 430, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Samantha A. Foti, Tasneem Khambaty, Orit Birnbaum-Weitzman, William Arguelles, Neil Schneiderman & Maria M. Llabre

  2. Center for Research and Grants, Baptist Health South Florida, South Miami, USA

    William Arguelles

  3. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Frank Penedo

  4. Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Rebeca A. Espinoza Giacinto, Angela P. Gutierrez & Linda C. Gallo

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Aida L. Giachello

Authors
  1. Samantha A. Foti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tasneem Khambaty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Orit Birnbaum-Weitzman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. William Arguelles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Frank Penedo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Rebeca A. Espinoza Giacinto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Angela P. Gutierrez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Linda C. Gallo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Aida L. Giachello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Neil Schneiderman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Maria M. Llabre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samantha A. Foti.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Foti, S.A., Khambaty, T., Birnbaum-Weitzman, O. et al. Loneliness, Cardiovascular Disease, and Diabetes Prevalence in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. J Immigrant Minority Health 22, 345–352 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-019-00885-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-019-00885-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation