Loneliness in later life: gender-based evidence from longitudinal ageing study in India

Background: Loneliness among the elderly a growing public health concern, particularly in ageing societies like India. Study examines gender differences in prevalence and determinants of loneliness among Indian elderly using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave-1 (2017–2018). Method: Study focuses individuals aged 60 and above (N=31,092). Loneliness measured using a single-item question from the CES-D-10 scale: "During past week, how often did you feel alone?" Responses dichotomized into lonely (often/most of the time) and not lonely (rarely/sometimes). Descriptive statistics, test of proportions used to examine loneliness prevalence, while multiple logistic regression models assessed its socio-economic and demographic determinants by gender Result: Findings reveal 14.95% elderly respondents reported feeling lonely, higher prevalence among females (17.5%) than males (12.08%), gender difference statistically significant (p