Loneliness and Psychological Status among Retired Government Officers in A Selected Area in Matara, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Background: Loneliness, characterized by feelings of social isolation and disconnectedness, has been linked to various adverse psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Among retirees, the absence of workplace interactions and decreased social engagement exacerbate feelings of loneliness, posing risks to their mental health. This aspect has not been studies in Sri Lanka previously.

Objective: To assess the loneliness and psychological status among retired government officers residing in Dikwella area in Matara, Sri Lanka

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 348 retired government officers in Dikwella area, Matara district using the stratified random sampling method. Pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data including loneliness scale and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS 21) questionnaire. SPSS version 25.0 was used as the data analysis tool and descriptive (Chi-square) and inferential statistics (correlational analysis) were used to analysis the data. Results: The majority of the sample were males (58.5%, n=203), with the mean±SD age of 68±9 years. The mean±SD loneliness, anxiety, depression and stress scores were 26.81±8.41, 14.02±7.09, 14.02±7.09, and 14.48±8.53, respectively. According to the DASS total scoring protocol, the mean score was 13.8±6.23. The majority 67.3% (n=234) experienced a low (46.6%), moderate (20.1%) and high (0.6%) degree of loneliness level and only 32.8% (n=114) had no loneliness. Overall, 73% (n=254) of depression, 89.1% (n=310) of anxiety and 65.2 (n=227) of stress reported among participants. There was a significant association and weak positive correlation between the loneliness with depression (p=0.008, 0.141) anxiety (p=0.034, r=0.114) and stress (0.019, r=0.126). Conclusions: The loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress level of the retired government officers in Matara is high and there was a weak positive correlation between loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress level. These findings underscore the nuanced nature of the psychological experiences of retired government officers and emphasize the need for targeted interventions to mitigate loneliness and its associated mental health challenges.