HIV / STI
Interventions Targeting Loneliness in Aging Populations with HIV: A Scoping Review Lien Quach* Lien Quach Quach Quach Quach University of Massachusetts Boston
Interventions Targeting Loneliness in Aging Populations with HIV: A Scoping Review
Background: Loneliness is a critical public health concern linked to adverse cognitive and physical outcomes, disability, and premature mortality. Although loneliness is highly prevalent among older people with HIV (PWH), evidence guiding effective interventions remains limited. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize studies evaluating interventions to reduce loneliness among older adults living with HIV.
Methods: Using a prespecified protocol and PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of English-language studies identified through searches of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and PsycINFO. Records were de-duplicated and screened using Covidence.
Results: Of 471 screened articles, 11 studies met inclusion criteria. Study designs included randomized controlled trials (n=7), a quasi-experimental study (n=1), and longitudinal qualitative studies (n=3) evaluating community-based navigator interventions. All studies examined non-pharmacologic interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based stress reduction, peer support, and community-based programs. Interventions were delivered through in-person formats and technology-based platforms such as telephone, social media, and digital human interactions. Mindfulness-based and peer-support interventions particularly those delivered via technology showed promising reductions in loneliness despite persistent stigma and discrimination. Evidence for CBT-based interventions was mixed. Digital human interventions demonstrated potential benefits but lacked evaluation in larger, diverse populations. Community-based programs improved quality of life and reduced stigma but did not explicitly assess mechanisms for strengthening social ties.
Conclusions: Non-pharmacologic interventions, especially mindfulness-based and peer-support approaches, show promise for reducing loneliness among older adults living with HIV. However, evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, underscoring the need for theory-driven interventions that address mechanisms of loneliness and structural stigma. Further evaluation of digital human interventions in larger and more diverse populations is warranted.
