Reciprocal Relations of Social Isolation and Multimorbidity in Chinese Elderly

Abstract

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the bidirectional associations between Social Isolation (SI) and multimorbidity among Chinese older adults. Methods: Data from six waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey spanning from 2002 to 2018 were analyzed. A General Cross-Lagged Model was employed in 2023 to investigate the temporal interrelationships between SI and multimorbidity among individuals aged 65 years and older. Results: In the short-term, significant bidirectional associations between SI and multimorbidity were found. Higher levels of SI at a given time point were associated with increased multimorbidity scores in the future, while greater levels of multimorbidity at a given time were associated with higher future SI scores. In the long-term, it is more likely that initial multimorbidity affect SI rather than initial SI affecting multimorbidity. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of the bidirectional associations between SI and multimorbidity among Chinese older adults, highlighting that initial multimorbidity was associated with future SI.