Loneliness in Later Life in Norway: Exploring differences between urban and rural settings

Abstract

Objective Examine the association between geographical settings (urban vs. rural) and the experiences of loneliness among older adults and explore whether the frequency of social contact or neighbor interactions mediate this association. Method This study used data from The Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation Study (NORLAG). The final analytical sample included 3,978 individuals. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between geographical settings and loneliness among older adults and the mediating effect of neighbor interactions and social contact. Results Initial bivariate regression analysis indicated no significant association between urban residency and loneliness. However, when social contact and neighbor interactions were included in the models, a significant negative association was observed, revealing a lower level of loneliness among urban residents compared to their rural counterparts. These findings suggest that the frequency of social contact and neighbor interactions had a suppressor effect rather than a mediating effect. Conclusions Our results indicate that residency is not significantly associated with loneliness on its own, but this association becomes significant when the frequency of social contact and neighbor interactions are considered