Do health behaviors mediate the relationships between loneliness and health outcomes in caregivers of cancer patients?

Abstract

Greater levels of loneliness have shown consistent associations with poorer mental and physical health; however, the reason for these relationships is unknown. Engagement in poorer health behaviors among individuals with higher levels of loneliness is one potential explanation for this relationship. Self-regulation theory suggests that coping with feelings of loneliness may impair attempts to control health behaviors. Caregivers of cancer patients have been found to have poor health behaviors (e.g., inadequate exercise) and high levels of loneliness. Thus, the aim of the study is to examine whether health behaviors mediate the relationships between loneliness and mental and physical health outcomes among caregivers of cancer patients. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using data from a longitudinal study of cancer patients and their family caregivers who were staying at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring levels of loneliness, engagement in health behaviors (i.e., exercise and fruit and vegetable consumption), mental and physical health, and demographic and medical characteristics at three time points over a 4-month period. A bootstrapping macro was used to examine the indirect effect of loneliness on mental and physical health via health behaviors. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, exercise and fruit and vegetable consumption did not mediate the relationships between loneliness and physical and mental health among cancer patients’ caregivers. Additional research is needed to determine whether health behaviors partially account for the relationships between loneliness and health outcomes or whether alternate explanations for these relationships should be considered.