Social Isolation Tied to Higher Mortality in Liver Disease

TOPLINE:

Among adults with chronic liver disease, social isolation from living alone was associated with a 40% increased risk for all-cause mortality and with greater odds of food and healthcare-related transportation insecurity.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a study to examine whether social isolation increases the risk for mortality in US adults with chronic liver disease and to explore the association of social isolation with food insecurity and healthcare-related transportation insecurity.
• They analyzed 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey data from 3676 adults aged 18 years or older with self-reported chronic liver disease.
• Social isolation was defined as living alone. Food insecurity was assessed using a 10-item questionnaire, and healthcare-related transportation insecurity was defined as delayed access to medical care due to a lack of transportation.
• Participants were followed from their interview date until death or the study’s end in December 2019. The mortality data were linked to the US National Death Index.

TAKEAWAY:

• Among US adults with chronic liver disease, 22% reported experiencing social isolation from living alone.
• Social isolation was associated with 60% increased odds of food insecurity and 70% increased odds of healthcare-related transportation insecurity.
• Social isolation was also independently associated with a 40% increased risk for all-cause mortality after adjusting for food and healthcare-related transportation insecurity and various sociodemographic and clinical variables.

IN PRACTICE:

“We hypothesize that social isolation from living alone may increase mortality risk in adults with CLD [chronic liver disease] due to lack of support for managing disease-specific complications and functional limitations in the home setting,” the authors wrote. “Routine screening for social isolation during clinic visits could help identify at-risk patients, facilitating early interventions.”

SOURCE:

This study, led by Tiana Walker, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, was published online in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s limitations included its cross-sectional design, which limits casual analysis, and use of self-reported chronic liver disease, which may result in misclassifications and prevents analysis related to the cause and severity of liver disease. Additionally, living alone does not fully capture social isolation, loneliness, or social support.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by a Sojourns Scholar Award from the Cambia Health Foundation. The authors declared having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.