# Examining the longitudinal influence of loneliness on healthcare utilization: evidence from Taiwan’s national health insurance data

## TL;DR

This study uses data from Taiwan to show how emotional and social loneliness affect healthcare use differently among older adults.

## Contribution

The study distinguishes between emotional and social loneliness and their unique effects on healthcare utilization.

## Key findings

- Higher emotional loneliness was linked to more mental health outpatient visits and general outpatient visits.
- Higher social loneliness was associated with fewer emergency room visits in the same year.
- The study highlights the importance of addressing loneliness to improve healthcare resource use.

## Abstract

This study combines a nationally representative sample from Taiwan with four years of National Health Insurance (NHI) data to explore the distinctive impact of emotional and social loneliness on health service utilization, including outpatient visits for mental health, general outpatient visits, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalization.

Data were drawn from the 2015 Taiwan Longitudinal Survey on Aging (TLSA) and merged with participants’ NHI records from 2015 to 2018. The analysis used logistic regression for binary outcomes and negative binomial regression for counts.

Results show that higher emotional loneliness in 2015 was associated with increased outpatient mental health visits over time and more general outpatient visits within the same year. Conversely, higher social loneliness in 2015 reduced the likelihood of seeking ER care in 2015.

By merging national data and distinguishing emotional from social loneliness, this study offers insights into their differential impacts on healthcare utilization among older adults in Taiwan. It emphasizes the importance of addressing loneliness to improve physical and mental well-being and optimize the effective utilization of healthcare resources.