Gender differences in the correlates of loneliness among Japanese persons aged 50-70

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore gender differences in the correlates of loneliness among Japanese persons aged 50-70. MethodsLogistic regression models were estimated on cross-sectional Japanese Generations and Gender Surveydata of 4057 persons aged 50-70. Loneliness wasmeasured as having a score of 2 or higher on the shortened De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale. ResultsFor more than half of the respondents, De Jong Gierveld loneliness scores exceeded the threshold of 2. Loneliness was more prevalent among men than among women. Living without a spouse or partner was more strongly associated with loneliness for men than for women. Childlessness was more strongly associated with loneliness for women than for men. ConclusionA large proportion of Japanese people between 50 and 70, particularly men, are lonely. Programs aimed at reducing loneliness should acknowledge that antecedents of loneliness differ between women and men.