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Why Loneliness Interventions Are Unsuccessful: A Call for Precision Health
Akhter-Khan SC, Au R.. Advances in geriatric medicine and research, 2020-06-17
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Loneliness has drawn increasing attention over the past few decades due to rising recognition of its close connection with serious health issues, like dementia. Yet, researchers are failing to find solutions to alleviate the globally experienced burden of loneliness. Purpose This review aims to shed light on possible reasons for why interventions have been ineffective. We suggest new directions for research on loneliness as it relates to precision health, emerging technologies, digital phenotyping, and machine learning. Results Current loneliness interventions are unsuccessful due to (i) their inconsideration of loneliness as a heterogeneous construct and (ii) not being targeted at individuals' needs and contexts. We propose a model for how loneliness interventions can move towards finding the right solution for the right person at the right time. Taking a precision health approach, we explore how transdisciplinary research can contribute to creating a more holistic picture of loneliness and shift interventions from treatment to prevention. Conclusions We urge the field to rethink metrics to account for diverse intra-individual experiences and trajectories of loneliness. Big data sharing and evolving technologies that emphasize human connection raise hope for realizing our model of precision health applied to loneliness. There is an urgent need for precise, integrated, and theory-driven interventions that focus on individuals' needs and the subjective burden of loneliness in the ageing context.
Key findings
- Results Current loneliness interventions are unsuccessful due to (i) their inconsideration of loneliness as a heterogeneous construct and (ii) not being targeted at individuals' needs and contexts.
Why it matters
This review argues that current loneliness interventions are unsuccessful because they treat loneliness as a uniform construct and are not targeted at individuals' needs and contexts. It calls for a precision health approach to move interventions from treatment toward prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Advances in geriatric medicine and research) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Advances in Geriatric Medicine and Research: journal h-index 13 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 90 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.2 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 53 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Rhoda Au: h-index 90 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Duke University: institution h-index 1,541 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 36037052) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.20900/agmr20200016
- PubMed: 36037052
- Original source →
- Free full text: Advances in Geriatric Medicine and Research →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Akhter-Khan, S. C., & Au, R. (2020). Why Loneliness Interventions Are Unsuccessful: A Call for Precision Health. Advances in geriatric medicine and research. https://doi.org/10.20900/agmr20200016
Vancouver
Akhter-Khan SC, Au R. Why Loneliness Interventions Are Unsuccessful: A Call for Precision Health. Advances in geriatric medicine and research. 2020. doi:10.20900/agmr20200016. PMID: 36037052.
BibTeX
@article{akhterkhan2020-36037052,
author = {Akhter-Khan, S. C. and Au, R.},
title = {{Why Loneliness Interventions Are Unsuccessful: A Call for Precision Health}},
journal = {Advances in geriatric medicine and research},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.20900/agmr20200016},
pmid = {36037052},
url = {https://doi.org/10.20900/agmr20200016}
}
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