PMID- 31414663
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20231013
IS  - 1929-0748 (Print)
IS  - 1929-0748 (Electronic)
IS  - 1929-0748 (Linking)
VI  - 8
IP  - 8
DP  - 2019 Aug 14
TI  - Exploring Existential Loneliness Among Frail Older People as a Basis for an 
      Intervention: Protocol for the Development Phase of the LONE Study.
PG  - e13607
LID - 10.2196/13607 [doi]
LID - e13607
AB  - BACKGROUND: International research concerning end-of-life issues emphasizes the 
      importance of health care professionals (HCPs) being prepared to deal with 
      existential aspects, like loneliness, in order to provide adequate care. The last 
      phase of life is often related to losses of different kinds, which might trigger 
      feelings of isolation in general and existential loneliness (EL) in particular. 
      There is a large body of research concerning loneliness among older people in 
      general, but little is known about the phenomenon and concept of EL in old age. 
      OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the framing, design, and first results of 
      the exploratory phase of an intervention study focusing on EL among older people: 
      the LONE study. This stage of the study corresponds to the development phase, 
      according to the Medical Research Council framework for designing complex 
      interventions. METHODS: The LONE study contains both theoretical and empirical 
      studies concerning: (1) identifying the evidence base; (2) identifying and 
      developing theory through individual and focus group interviews with frail older 
      people, significant others, and HCPs; and (3) modeling process and outcomes for 
      the intervention. This project involves sensitive issues that must be carefully 
      reviewed. The topic in itself concerns a sensitive matter and the study group is 
      vulnerable, therefore, an ethical consciousness will be applied throughout the 
      project. RESULTS: The results so far show that EL means being disconnected from 
      life and implies a feeling of being fundamentally separated from others and the 
      world, whether or not one has family, friends, or other close acquaintances. 
      Although significant others highlighted things such as lack of activities, not 
      participating in a social environment, and giving up on life as aspects of EL, 
      the older people themselves highlighted a sense of meaningless waiting, a longing 
      for a deeper connectedness, and restricted freedom as their origins of EL. The 
      views of HCPs on the origin of EL, the place of care, and their own role differed 
      between contexts. CONCLUSIONS: The studies focusing on identifying the evidence 
      base and developing theory are published. These results will now be used to 
      identify potential intervention components, barriers, and enablers for the 
      implementation of an intervention aimed at supporting HCPs in encountering EL 
      among older people. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): 
      RR1-10.2196/13607.
CI  - (c)Anna-Karin Edberg, Ingrid Bolmsjo. Originally published in JMIR Research 
      Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 14.08.2019.
FAU - Edberg, Anna-Karin
AU  - Edberg AK
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-0161-4795
AD  - The Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, 
      Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.
FAU - Bolmsjo, Ingrid
AU  - Bolmsjo I
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-0626-4472
AD  - Faculty of Health & Society, Malmo University, Malmo, Sweden.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20190814
PL  - Canada
TA  - JMIR Res Protoc
JT  - JMIR research protocols
JID - 101599504
PMC - PMC6712957
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - existential
OT  - frail older adults
OT  - health personnel
OT  - loneliness
OT  - qualitative research
OT  - study protocol
COIS- Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
EDAT- 2019/08/16 06:00
MHDA- 2019/08/16 06:01
PMCR- 2019/08/14
CRDT- 2019/08/16 06:00
PHST- 2019/02/05 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2019/07/07 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2019/06/30 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2019/08/16 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2019/08/16 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2019/08/16 06:01 [medline]
PHST- 2019/08/14 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - v8i8e13607 [pii]
AID - 10.2196/13607 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - JMIR Res Protoc. 2019 Aug 14;8(8):e13607. doi: 10.2196/13607.