Social Isolation, Social Participation, and Health Outcomes in Older Adults

Research on ageing populations increasingly highlights the profound effects of social connectedness on health and well-being in later life. Social isolation is recognized as a significant risk factor for a range of adverse health outcomes among older adults, including cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, depression, and reduced quality of life. While social participation is frequently associated with more positive physical and psychological outcomes, the mechanisms linking these factors remain insufficiently explored. The rapid uptake of digital technology, particularly smartphones, introduces both opportunities and challenges to the social integration of older people. Despite a growing body of research, much of the current literature is fragmented and lacks a holistic view of how overlapping social, technological, and psychological variables interact to shape health trajectories among older adults.This Research Topic aims to consolidate recent advances and foster interdisciplinary investigation into the psychological, social, and physical consequences of social isolation and social participation for older adults. Central objectives include identifying the dynamic interactions between social participation, social isolation, exclusion, technology use, and interpersonal relationships, as well as their collective impact on health and well-being in late adulthood. By integrating diverse findings, this effort seeks to inform the design of targeted, evidence-based interventions and support the creation of more inclusive strategies promoting active and healthy ageing.This Research Topic is limited to older adult populations and primarily centers on the intersection of their social experiences and health outcomes, with a special emphasis on the role of technology. Both empirical studies and theoretical perspectives are welcome. To gather further insights in this area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:1. Long-term consequences of social isolation or exclusion among older adults;2. Peer influences and dynamics in shaping social participation;3. The dual role of smartphone use in enabling or hindering social connections;4. Patterns and effects of smartphone dependency in the aged population;5. Community, policy, or programmatic approaches to alleviate the health burden of social isolation in later life. Topic editors: Baohua Liu, Lei Shi, Miaomiao Zhao, Sinan AKÇAY Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80245/social-isolation-social-participation-and-health-outcomes-in-older-adults