Effectiveness of community-based interventions for older adults living alone: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effectiveness of community-based interventions designed for older adults living alone through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS: The study incorporated 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 5 non-RCTs to evaluate various interventions. The methodological quality of these studies was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist, while Q-statistic and I-square tests were performed to examine statistical heterogeneity. Additionally, visual inspection of funnel plots and the trim-and-fill method were employed to investigate potential publication bias. Of the 2,729 identified studies, 9 met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Independent variables were categorized into 5 groups (physical activity, nutrition, social relationships, social participation, and combined intervention) to examine their effects. Dependent variables were similarly classified into 5 subgroups to identify the specific effects of the interventions.

RESULTS: Interventions focusing on nutrition and combined approaches were the most effective, yielding effect sizes of 0.958 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.665 to 1.251) and 0.432 (95% CI, 0.263 to 0.601), respectively. The interventions had the greatest impacts on the health behavior and mental health of the participants, with effect sizes of 0.977 (95% CI, 0.731 to 1.222) for health behavior and 0.675 (95% CI, 0.194 to 1.157) for mental health.

CONCLUSION: This study suggests a direction for the development of community-based interventions tailored to the needs of older adults living alone. Additionally, it provides evidence to inform policy decisions concerning this demographic.