Social Life Research Articles

Abstract B140: Further evaluation of social determinants of health including association of neighborhood disadvantage and population density with severity of activity- and mood- related interference in primary brain tumor patients

Abstract Purpose: Growing evidence links living in rural or socioeconomically disadvantaged areas with worse outcomes in cancer patients. Our previous work indicated that growing up in a rural area and experiencing food insecurity in childhood are associated with more severe activity and mood-related interference from symptoms in the primary brain tumor (PBT) population. This study investigates the association of current neighborhood deprivation and population density with activity- and mood-related interference in a cross-sectional cohort of 555 patients with a PBT enrolled in a natural history study (NCT03251989). Methods: National Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and population density were dichotomized into more (>40) and less (<40) disadvantaged and urbanized (>1,000 persons/sq mi) and non-urbanized (<1,000 persons/sq mi). Activity- and mood-related interference was stratified into none/mild (0-1) and moderate/severe (2-10). Logistic regression was used to test univariate and multivariate associations of moderate/severe activity- and mood-related interference with demographic and clinical variables. Bonferroni-Holm was implemented to adjust for multiple comparisons (p < 0.001) in univariate analyses. We used backwards elimination multivariate analyses to fit the final model. Variables were included modeling when univariate p <0.10. Results: The sample included more males (57%), median age 49 (range 18-85), living in more disadvantage neighborhoods (25%), and primarily in urbanized areas (61%). The majority (74%) had high grade tumors, most commonly glioblastoma (39%), with 49% with tumor recurrence, and 21% on active treatment. Univariate analysis showed neither ADI nor population density was significantly associated with activity-related interference (ADI OR=1.35, 95% CI [0.85, 2.13]; population density OR=1.20, 95% CI [0.80, 1.79]) or mood-related interference (ADI OR=0.85, 95% CI [0.52, 1.38]; population density OR=1.19, 95% CI [0.78, 1.81]). In the multivariate analyses tumor diagnosis (OR=0.92 CI [0.53, 1.58]) growing up in a non-urbanized area (OR=1.56 CI [1.02, 2.40]), not having enough to eat when growing up (OR=2.50 CI [1.13, 5.54], and number of surgeries (OR=1.50 CI [1.00, 2.23]) remained associated with moderate/severe activity-related interference with ADI, and similar results were found in the population density model. Tumor recurrence (OR=1.77 CI [1.17, 2.66]) and comorbidities (OR=0.53 CI [0.33, 0.85]) were associated with moderate/severe mood-related interference with ADI and similar results were found in the population density model. Conclusions: Although activity- and mood-related interference were not associated with current ADI or population density, activity-related interference was significantly related to early life social variables including growing up in a rural area and not having enough to eat growing up. This study may be foundational for future study directions exploring other social deprivation factors early life or current that contributes to more interference in the PBT population. Citation Format: Tara S. Davis, Bennett A. McIver, Kimberly Reinhart, Elizabeth Vera, Vivian A. Guedes, Macy L. Stockdill, Orieta Celiku, Terri S. Armstrong, Michelle L. Wright. Further evaluation of social determinants of health including association of neighborhood disadvantage and population density with severity of activity- and mood- related interference in primary brain tumor patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B140.

Impact of occupational stress on healthcare workers’ family members before and during COVID-19: A systematic review

We aimed to explore the experiences, needs, and mental health impact of family members of healthcare workers (HCWs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven quantitative and nine qualitative studies were included in this review. Based on the narrative synthesis, we identified five outcomes: ‘Mental health outcomes’, ‘Family relationships, ‘Coping skills and resilience’, ‘Quality of life and social life’, and ‘Practical outcomes’. Our findings indicated that there was a high risk to the mental health and well-being of families of healthcare workers both before and during the pandemic. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, some experiences and mental health issues of families were worsened. There was also a negative association between working long hours/shift work and family relationships/communication, family social life, and joint activities, and family members taking on more domestic responsibilities. Families tended to use both positive and negative coping strategies to deal with their loved one’s job stress. Organisations and support services working with people in health care work should consider widening support to families where possible. With this understanding, HCWs and their families could be supported more effectively in clinical and organisational settings. Trial registration: Systematic Review Registration Number: CRD42022310729. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022310729.

Contesting the framing of digital risk: An analysis of Australian children’s experiences

ABSTRACT Children’s social lives are mediated increasingly by digital tools, thereby making new modes of home-school-world relationships possible. In this context, children’s digital out-of-school social practices continue to be associated with risk. Children are construed as an “at risk” and vulnerable population by adults who frame children’s everyday digital social life with ambivalence. This framing is used to justify imposition of constraints in the present, with children’s digital engagement a key site of regulation. The study we report here problematises research that separates risk from children’s digital social participation. To challenge dominant views of children being vulnerable to risk, we use Actor Network Theory to provide a nuanced exposition of concepts of “digital risk” and agentic self, relevant to children’s digital social lives. From the findings of the present study, involving 62 10–11-year-old children in 3 Australian schools, we argue that “digital risk” framing of children’s social lives underplays children’s agency and voice in digital environments. Additionally, what is missing in the framing of digital risk is recognition that children utilise digital tools to ameliorate non-digital risk. In other words, risk is not only digital; and there is more to digital participation than risk.

Ser-genérico

In which sense can human beings be conceived as social animals? To elucidate this question, the present paper (I) distinguishes the logical sociality of all living beings from the material sociality of social animals and the political sociality of self-conscious social animals. (II) The self-conscious political sociality that characterizes the human genus-being requires a complex interplay of first and second person through which alone we can participate in our form of life and determine its content. (III) The human form of life thus constituted is characterized by a particularly open, and at the same time precarious, membership which involves specific forms of vulnerability and power. (IV) Against this background, forms of objective spirit are necessary which grant us a generalized recognition and relieve us from the contingency of each particular second-personal recognition, without abandoning the openness of the sociality of the human form of life. This double requirement has led to paradoxical institutions in modern society which strive to protect and ensure the sociality of the human form of life precisely by naturalizing and individualizing our access to it.

Cleft lip/palate patients’ oral health status: an epidemiological study at a Brazilian pediatric hospital

Cleft lip/palate is a congenital maxillofacial malformation which results from genetic and environmental factors. In Brazil, the prevalence is 1 in every 673 live births. Several alterations result from oral clefts and affects function, aesthetics, and social life. Due to morphofunctional changes, these patients are more susceptible to disorders of the oral cavity. This study aimed to conduct an epidemiological study about alterations of the stomatognathic complex in cleft lip/palate patients at Albert Sabin Pediatric Hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Files containing medical records, imaging exams and dental models of 64 patients from 2005 to 2017 were analyzed. There was a higher prevalence of males, patients from the countryside and the left unilateral transforaminal cleft subtype. 85.9% of the patients had undergone cheiloplasty and palatoplasty. About 74% of patients had dental agenesis, 71.9% developed the precanine tooth, 26.6% presented dental shape anomalies and 65.6% presented maxillary atresia. The mean DMFT index (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) of the patients was 3.51. These results corroborate and add valuable information to the available literature on cleft lip/palate patients. Our results demonstrate that cleft patients present dental and skeletal alteration that need specialized treatment.

‘We Really Thrive on Interactions’ – How Consumers Experience and React to Sudden Constraints of Sociality in Everyday Neighborhood Places

This research investigates how consumers experience and deal with the constrained sociality of everyday places in their neighborhood (shops, parks, etc.) in times of crisis, using the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic as a revelatory context. Everyday neighborhood places outside the home or workplace do not only satisfy functional needs; they also serve people’s social life and enhance well-being. However, a gap exists in the literature about the impact of sudden consumer agency constraints on the felt sociality of such places, which hinders knowledge and advice on how service managers can effectively address consumer needs in such times. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with consumers and service providers in French and German urban environments, we find that the enacted restrictions changed how people related to the self, to others, and to the environment. Using ‘sense of place’ as a theoretical lens, we show that constrained sociality modifies the dialectical relationships between people and places: while consumers attributed new meaning to natural environments and re-valued the social resources of their neighborhood, the public restrictions made them increasingly concerned about their own agency. Since consumers thrive on everyday sociality, we discuss different ways service managers can enhance the experience of everyday places during public crises.

What helps adult learners with little formal schooling to develop basic digital skills?

In today’s world, having at least basic digital skills is essential in working, social, and family life. The present study uses grounded theory to explore ways in which people with little formal schooling engage with the digital world. Drawing on 54 semi-structured interviews, it describes how people with little IT experience from formal education obtain information about digital security, privacy, the functioning of antivirus software, software updates, and so on. We introduce the concepts of computer world and ministories which draw parallels between the online and offline worlds. While creating the concepts of computer world and ministories, we follow Richard Mayer’s theory of multimedia learning, and thus ministories are based on the appropriate combination of images and texts. The study attempts to answer the following general question: ‘Is it better to teach people how to work with specific apps for everyday use or teach them the principles that are behind them?’. This question should be asked when creating new approach in IT education and not only in lifelong learning.

Development and validation of MyCommunication—Adults, a self‐report communicative participation measure

AbstractBackgroundPeople with communication problems experience challenges in participation. Optimizing communicative participation for this population is an important outcome of speech and language therapy. Participation experiences are best assessed from the patient's perspective, using a patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM). The Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) has been developed to identify perceived problems in communicative participation. However, previous research has shown that the item bank does not cover all domains and concepts of communicative participation, contains general communication items, and is not suitable for all people with communication problems.AimsTo develop a comprehensive PROM aimed at measuring communicative participation for all adults with communication problems and test its content validity.Methods & ProceduresAn initial pool of 242 items was based on three sources: relevant content from an earlier literature review and concept elicitation study, and the translation of the items of the CPIB. This item pool was pilot‐tested for comprehensibility and comprehensiveness using cognitive debriefing interviews in adults with different communication problems (speech, language, voice, hearing and cognitive communication disorders). This resulted in a second version of the item bank. The content validity of this version was tested in a group of professionals. The last (third) version of 133 items was tested for content validity in a second, new group of adults with various communication problems.Outcomes & ResultsThe initial pool of 242 items was developed and pilot‐tested in 27 adults with different communication problems. After modifications, 161 items remained, which were tested in a content validity study with 25 people with different communication problems and five professionals (in the field of speech and language therapy and speech and language research). The professionals considered 91.9% of the item bank relevant and comprehensible, and comprehensive by adding two items. The item bank was then considered relevant, comprehensible and comprehensive by the group of adults with communication problems. A total of 133 items remained in the item bank, related to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Activities and Participation domains ‘mobility’, ‘self‐care’, ‘domestic life’, ‘interpersonal interactions and relationships’, ‘major life areas’ and ‘community, social and civic life’.Conclusions & ImplicationsMyCommunication—Adults is an item bank for measuring communicative participation in adults with communication difficulties. The next step is to test the psychometric properties of the item bank, in order to establish a final item bank. The refined description of the construct of communicative participation can already be used for participation‐focused goal‐setting between individuals with communication problems and speech and language therapists.WHAT THIS PAPER ADDSWhat is already known on the subject The CPIB was developed to measure communicative participation in community‐dwelling adults with communication problems. The item bank does not cover all domains and concepts of communicative participation, contains general communication items and not all questions seem to be relevant for specific target groups (e.g., hearing population).What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This study presents a refined description of the construct of communicative participation and the development of a new comprehensive PROM aimed at measuring this construct for all adults with communication difficulties. The development of the PROM is based on a previously conducted literature review and concept elicitation study. This study describes the development process of this new PROM, called MyCommunication‐Adults, and the assessment of its content validity.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The refined description of the construct of communicative participation can be used for participation‐focused goal‐setting between individuals with communication problems and speech and language therapists.

Digital Enjoyment or Social Disconnection : How Do Online Games Affect Students' Social Lives?

This research aims to analyze the relationship between online game addiction and social interaction and its implications for students' enthusiasm for learning. This research used a quantitative approach with a survey method involving 100 Surakarta students selected through purposive sampling. The instrument used to measure Social Interaction was adapted from (2024) with a reliability coefficient (alpha) of 0.915. And the Online Game Addiction Scale, adapted fromArua et al., (2023) with a reliability coefficient (alpha) of 0.853. Data analysis used descriptive statistics, assumption tests, Pearson correlation, t-test, and coefficient of determination. The results showed that the majority of respondents had a moderate level of online gaming addiction, with a significant negative correlation between gaming addiction and social interaction. Addiction rates were higher in men than women. Interventions should target social and individual contexts, combining education and social support to reduce online gaming addiction among students. Students addicted to online games tend to spend more time in the virtual world; this can divert students' enthusiasm from learning activities. Students become less focused, get tired quickly, or lose enthusiasm for learning because more time and energy is devoted to playing games.

Suburban camouflage in urban neighbourhoods: new building typologies and their impact on social life of residential streets

ABSTRACT Centre-city neighbourhoods is where residents expect a diversity of residents and an active social life, along with numerous amenities. This study investigates the relationship between the transforming morphology of Over-the-Rhine – a historic centre-city neighbourhood in Cincinnati, Ohio – and its urban social life. Detailed observations and morphological analyses of four new residential projects reveal that typologies that on the face appear urban, in fact promote a suburban lifestyle that prioritizes independence and seclusion and focus on private domestic life, in an urban context. We conclude with a set of strategies to increase the interaction between the private and the public realm.

Artificial intelligence in the Russian regions

Objective: to provide a comparative assessment of the use of artificial intelligence technologies by organizations in the context of Russian regions and to identify determinants of their dynamics. Methods: descriptive statistics, histogram, grouping, principal component method, panel data models. Results: an absolute trend of recent years is to study and implement artificial intelligence technologies in many economic, industrial processes and social life. The article analyzes the trends in the application of artificial intelligence technologies in the Russian regions. The comparative analysis of regions by the level and growth rate of artificial intelligence technologiesuse by organizations showed that the regions were heterogenous by the dynamics of this indicator in 2020-2022. The regions were divided into four groups: above average and below average level in Russia. Econometric modeling based on the method of principal components gave grounds to unite the determinants of the use of artificial intelligence technologies into four components. Panel data fixed-effects models showed a significant impact of the component, characterizing the state of human capital, the level of economic development, and innovation activity of organizations in the region. Scientific novelty: for the first time an attempt was made to provide a comparative analysis of Russian regions by the level of artificial intelligence technologies use by organizations and to find the determinants of its change. Practical significance: the heterogeneity of regions in terms of the artificial intelligence technologies use by organizations was substantiated, as well as a great impact of the specific characteristics of regions, which should be taken into account when building a national policy of artificial intelligence development.

Almanya’da Yetişen İki Dilli Türk Kökenli Çocukların Türkçe Öğreniminde Karşılaştıkları Motivasyon Süreçleri

The Turks, who migrated to Europe as "guest workers" in the 1960s, have settled in Europe. The majority of Turks who migrated to Europe currently live in Germany. In order to strengthen the ties of Turkish students living in Germany with the Turkish language and Turkish culture, the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey initiated "Turkish Language and Turkish Culture" courses in schools located in Germany. Teachers from Turkey have been appointed to provide this education. The inability of children from Turkish immigrant families to fully learn both German and their mother tongue negatively affects their social lives as well as their academic success. Consequently, this leads to educational problems. The aim of this study is to evaluate the motivation processes faced by bilingual and Turkish-origin children living and receiving education in Germany during their Turkish language learning process. Keywords: language acquisition, listening, bilingualism, mother tongue, immigrant

The influence of self-efficacy on social adaptability among college students: The mediating role of psychological resilience

Against the backdrop of rapid social development, given the importance of good social adaptability for individuals' careers and daily lives, the purposed of this study is to explore the influence of self-efficacy of vocational college students on social adaptability. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 940 vocational college students in China using the Self-Efficacy Scale, Social Adaptability Scale, and Psychological Resilience Scale to obtain valid samples. SPSS and AMOS are used to further explore the explanatory and predictive relationships between variables. A mediation effect is proposed to establish a structural model, and the bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap method is used to conduct an empirical test on the constructed model. The research results show that the self-efficacy of vocational college students in China has a significant positive impact on social adaptability. Moreover, psychological resilience plays a mediating role in the influence of self-efficacy on social adaptability. Based on these results, schools can promote the improvement of students' social adaptability by cultivating their self-efficacy. Through targeted mental health education and training, students' self-efficacy and psychological resilience can be enhanced, thereby improving social adaptability and enabling them to better cope with academic pressure and life challenges and adapt to vocational and social lives.

Vision Rehabilitation Using Contact Lenses in Infantile Nystagmus: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Nystagmus has a negative effect on the patient's quality of life (QoL), leading to an increase in their dependence on others and a decrease in self-confidence and social relationships. Therefore, effective treatment and management are crucial in restoring those affected's visual function and social life. To determine whether contact lens (CL) use impairs the vision of infantile nystagmus (IN) patients, this study conducts a systematic review of the relevant literature. Methods: This systematic review adhered to the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). We searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant studies published up to May 9, 2022. The search was not limited by study type (except for review articles), publication time, or language. We used medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords such as “nystagmus,” “CL,” “congenital nystagmus,” “IN,” “rigid gas permeable lenses,” and “soft CLs”. Results: Initially, 102 articles were identified. After removing duplicates, 76 articles remained. Of these, 39 were excluded during screening for irrelevance, and 8 were excluded due to inaccessible abstracts or full texts. Ultimately, 29 articles were included in this review. Conclusion: The majority of studies reviewed reported no significant side effects from using CLs, and most patients achieved similar or improved visual function compared to using glasses. As a result, even if CLs are not superior to glasses, they perform comparably and can be considered a primary treatment option when there are indications for prescribing CLs.

Impact of hepatitis B immunoglobulin mode of administration on treatment experiences of patients after liver transplantation: Results from an online survey.

Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in combination with a potent nucleos(t)ide analog is considered the standard of care for prophylaxis against hepatitis B virus (HBV) reinfection after liver transplantation for HBV-associated disease. To evaluate patients' satisfaction, preferences, and requirements for subcutaneous (SC), intramuscular (IM), and intravenous (IV) HBIG treatments. A self-completion, cross-sectional, online, 22-question survey was conducted to examine perceptions and satisfaction with current HBIG treatment in adults receiving HBIG treatment following liver transplantation for HBV-associated disease in France, Italy, and Turkey. Hypothetical HBIG products with different administration modes were evaluated using target product profile assessment and a conjoint (trade-off) exercise. Ninety patients were enrolled; 32%, 17%, and 51% were SC, IM, and IV HBIG users, respectively. Mean duration of treatment was 36.2 months. SC HBIG had the least negative impact on emotional well-being and social life and was perceived as the most convenient, easiest to administer, least painful, and had the highest self-rating of treatment compliance. More IM HBIG users than SC or IV HBIG users reported that administration frequency was excessive (67%, 28%, and 28%, respectively). In the target product profile assessment, 76% of patients were likely to use hypothetical SC HBIG. In the conjoint exercise, administration route, frequency, and duration were key drivers of treatment preferences. Ease, frequency, duration, and side effects of HBIG treatment administration were key drivers of treatment preferences, and SC HBIG appeared advantageous over IM and IV HBIG for administration ease, convenience, and pain. A hypothetical SC HBIG product elicited a favorable response. Patient demographics, personal preferences, and satisfaction with HBIG treatment modalities may influence long-term treatment compliance.

Sustainability Assessment Methods for the Transport Sector Considering the Life Cycle Concept—A Review

This paper presents a summary and review of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) methods for the transport sector. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of articles that employ a variety of methods for assessing sustainable development in the transport sector, taking into account the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. In the sustainability assessment of transport, three methods were evaluated: life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost analysis (LCC), and social life cycle assessment (SLCA). An overview of sustainability assessment methods in transport and a review of the indicators used in the life cycle sustainability assessment was conducted. It was found that the selection of indicators within the LCSA for assessing various aspects of sustainable development is dependent on various geographic and policy contexts. An overview of the application of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods to assess LCSA in the transport sector was performed. MCDA methods are used to support decision-making regarding the selection of the most sustainable transport options and allow for the simultaneous consideration of multiple criteria, enabling a more sustainable assessment of different transport options. MCDA methods help to rank alternative transportation fuels and help decision-makers consider indicators encompassing economic, environmental and social aspects.

Personhood Disrupted: An Ethnography of Social Practices and the Attribution of Mental Illness in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

This paper explores the intricate interplay between living with mental illness and the processes of identifying mental illness in Abeokuta, Nigeria. With a particular focus on the contextual understanding of personhood, this study reveals how sociocultural backgrounds modulate the understanding of mental illness and its treatments within the Yoruba context. Through nine months of ethnographic fieldwork and discursive narrative analysis, the research revealed that becoming a mentally ill person is deeply intertwined with the everyday social life in the study site. The analysis highlights the multifaceted nature of personhood, encompassing various aspects such as parenthood, friendship, employment, and financial freedom. These facets of personhood are shaped by specific social practices and embedded within complex webs of social relations, often becoming more pronounced when these relationships are disrupted, leading to certain behaviours being categorised as mental illness. This paper underscores the significance of recognising and acknowledging the contextual notion and understanding of mental illness to ensure the provision of acceptable and effective care and recovery strategies.

Addressing Social Issues and Ensuring Social Security in Vietnam During the Renovation Period

Vietnam's national renovation has gone through four decades. Throughout the comprehensive renovation process, the understanding of the fundamental aspects of social life has become increasingly clear, reflecting the essence of the socialist system that Vietnam has chosen. Social issues encompass all aspects of human life. The level of economic development provides the material conditions to implement social policies, but social goals are the ultimate purpose of economic activities. Even within the framework of economic activities, social policies directly impact labor productivity, product quality, etc., hence the need for basic, long-term social policies that align with the requirements and capabilities during the initial phase of the transitional period. This article focuses on clarifying the views and policies of the Party and the Vietnamese government on addressing social issues and ensuring social security; highlighting both the achievements and limitations in the process of addressing social issues and ensuring social security in Vietnam during the renovation period.

Covering the land with oil palm: revelation, value, and landownership among the Kairak‐speaking Baining of Papua New Guinea

AbstractThis article explores how a displaced Papua New Guinean people decided to lease their customary land for oil palm plantation farming to restore their land use rights and resolve ongoing disputes with migrant settlers. By transforming the landscape into a territorialized space as a plantation, Kairak‐speaking Baining hoped to gain actual landownership status and control over their land, which in turn, they believed, could bring them the development they had long dreamed of. I argue that Kairak conceptions about the plantation as a tool to reveal their landownership and remove the settlers drew on Melanesian notions about covering and revelation, changing perceptions of value, and discourse around ‘settlerhood’ and ‘nativism’, and show how agribusiness capital expansion strategies leverage regional politics of identity and autochthony. By illustrating how the plantation expansion unfolded differently in this region, the material offers new insights on the Plantationocene, global land grabs, dispossession and migration, and reaffirms the consequences reported elsewhere in the world where enclosures of exclusion lead to forceful rearrangements of people's social and economic lives, leaving their hopes and plantation promises unrealized.

Loneliness and pain among community-dwelling middle-aged and older Black, Latino, and White adults in the United States

BackgroundPrior research has demonstrated a strong and independent association between loneliness and pain, but few studies to date have explored this relationship in racially and ethnically diverse groups of midlife and older adults. We drew on the diathesis stress model of chronic pain and cumulative inequality theory to examine the relationship of loneliness and the presence and intensity of pain in a nationally representative sample of Black, Latino, and White adults aged 50 or older in the United States.MethodsData were from Wave 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (n = 2,706). We used weighted logistic and ordinary least squares regression analyses to explore main and interactive effects of loneliness and race and ethnicity while adjusting for well-documented risk and protective factors (e.g., educational attainment, perceived relative income, inadequate health insurance, perceived discrimination) and salient social and health factors.ResultsAlmost half (46%) of the participants reported feeling lonely and 70% reported the presence of pain. Among those who reported pain (n = 1,910), the mean intensity score was 2.89 (range = 1–6) and 22% reported severe or stronger pain. Greater loneliness was associated with increased odds of pain presence (AOR = 1.154, 95% CI [1.072, 1.242]) and higher pain intensity (β = 0.039, p < 0.01). We found no significant interaction effects involving Black participants. However, Latino participants who reported greater loneliness had significantly higher levels of pain (β = 0.187, p < 0.001) than their White counterparts with similar levels of loneliness.DiscussionLoneliness is an important correlate of pain presence and intensity and may have a stronger effect on pain intensity among Latino adults aged 50 or older. We discuss clinical and research implications of these findings, including the need for more fine-grained analyses of different types of loneliness (e.g., social, emotional, existential) and their impact on these and other pain-related outcomes (e.g., interference). Our findings suggest a need for interventions to prevent and manage pain by targeting loneliness among middle-aged and older adults, particularly Latino persons.