Implementation of a Loneliness Screening and Referral Program in Primary Care: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Care
• Primary Care Interventions
• Mental Health Screening

Background:

• Loneliness screening is a recommended best practice for older adults in primary care.
• Current implementation of loneliness screening in primary care settings remains low.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of implementing a loneliness screening and referral program (SOCIAL Rx) within a primary care practice.
• To evaluate the reach, effectiveness, and adoption of the SOCIAL Rx program using the RE-AIM framework.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale for loneliness assessment.
• Provided curated referrals for patients who screened positive for loneliness.
• Conducted qualitative interviews to explore program feasibility, acceptability, and patient referral preferences.

Main Results:

• 81% of patients were screened for loneliness.
• 33.3% reported being somewhat lonely, and 17.7% reported being very lonely.
• 52% of lonely patients received a referral, with 40% of providers referring at least 50% of eligible patients.

Conclusions:

• Loneliness is highly prevalent in the older adult population served by primary care.
• The SOCIAL Rx program demonstrated feasibility in screening and referring lonely older adults.
• Findings underscore the importance of integrating loneliness screening and intervention into routine primary care for older adults.