Association of loneliness and healthcare utilization among older adults in Singapore.

The present study found a significant association between loneliness and lower odds of physician visits regardless of whether the loneliness was recently developed or chronic. In addition, respondents who had loneliness in the past also had a significantly lower number of visits to physicians compared with those who were never lonely. Further studies on the underlying behavior and the health consequences are warranted. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1789-1798.