Loneliness and depression among men in Poland: cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Mental well-being involves emotional and cognitive life evaluation, crucial for life satisfaction.
• Loneliness is a significant predictor of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
• Men's reluctance to seek professional help necessitates screening tools for mental health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and irritability symptoms in men.
• To evaluate the level of loneliness among men.
• To identify potential predictors of mental health issues and loneliness in men.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to a representative sample of 438 men via an online portal (CAWI).
• The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-M) was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms.
• The UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA) was employed to measure loneliness levels.

Main Results:

• Clinically relevant anxiety symptoms were found in 21.91% of men, and depressive symptoms in 12.55%.
• The average score on the UCLA Loneliness Scale indicated a moderate level of loneliness.
• A moderately high or very elevated level of loneliness was reported by 23.3% of participants.

Conclusions:

• Approximately one-fifth of men exhibited clinically relevant anxiety symptoms, and one-tenth showed depressive symptoms.
• A significant portion of men reported moderate to severe loneliness.
• Poor financial status and lack of financial decisiveness emerged as key predictors for depression and increased loneliness.