PISC Senior Scholar Nancy Hodgson, PhD, RN, FAAN, is featured in a recent study that evaluates the relationship between social isolation and anxiety in people with cognitive impairment. The study includes 1,343 participants living in the United States. Anxiety is measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and social isolation is measured using the Perceived Social Isolation Scale. Results indicate that social isolation is associated with increased anxiety for participants with cognitive impairments. Specifically, participants with clinically significant anxiety are likely to feel a lack of companionship, left out, and social isolation. Based on these results, the study concludes that “health care professionals, family, and friends or people with cognitive impairment should pay greater attention to the social isolation of their loved ones” to reduce anxiety.
The relationship between social isolation and anxiety in people with cognitive impairment in the United States
