Material, Health, and Social Vulnerability and Loneliness Among Older Adults: From the Welfare Regime Perspective

Loneliness in later life is a significant global public health issue that negatively impacts well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health. This study investigates how material, health, and social vulnerabilities contribute to loneliness among older adults using a welfare regime framework. It examines the link between vulnerability and loneliness in the United States, Korea, Sweden, Spain, and Germany using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) alongside its international sister studies, encompassing both Western and East Asian welfare states. Findings indicate that older adults in less generous welfare regimes experience higher levels of loneliness and material vulnerability. A multidimensional approach reveals that the most urgently vulnerable population is the multiply vulnerable group. Vulnerable groups are more likely to experience loneliness, with divergent associations emerging across countries. Cross-national variations demonstrate how institutional arrangements can either mitigate or exacerbate the relationship between vulnerability and loneliness.