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Journal of Aging & Social Policy· 2026Q1

Regional Disparities and Loneliness Among Older Adults in South Korea: The Role of Subjective Health

Jae Yoon Kim, Meejung Chin

Short summary

Higher local fiscal autonomy in South Korea was linked to increased loneliness in older adults, except for those in good health, while poor health correlated with lower loneliness in areas with more single-person older households.

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Abstract

Despite increasing policy concerns about loneliness in later life particularly in declining regions, empirical efforts to link these issues with regional disparities remain limited. This study examines whether associations between regional factors and loneliness among older adults vary by health status, using evidence from South Korea. Data from 6,037 adults aged 59-103 across 216 districts were drawn from the 2022 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging and analyzed using multilevel models. Higher local fiscal autonomy was associated with greater loneliness among older adults, except those in good health. Older adults in poor health reported lower loneliness in regions with a higher proportion of older adult single-person households. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for the interplay between regional contexts and individual health status in policies addressing loneliness in later life.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 2026 · DOI ↗

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Field: Health

HealthSocial Sciences