Existential Loneliness Among Older People from the Perspective of Health Care Professionals: A European Multicenter Study

Anna-Karin Edberg,1 Giusy Trogu,2 Alessandra Manattini,2 Agnieszka Renn-Żurek,3 Daria Maria Modrzejewska,3 Elżbieta Barbara Woźnicka,4 Silvia Popovici,5 Liliana Pintilie,6 Ingela Beck,1 Akvilė Virbalienė,7 Aurelija Å iurienė7 1Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden; 2Anziani e non solo Societá Cooperativa Sociale, Carpi, Italy; 3University of Humanities and Economics, Lodz, Poland; 4Stefan Batory State University, Skierniewice, Poland; 5Asociatia Demetrius, Iasi, Romania; 6Executive Office of the Order of General Nurses, Midwives and Nurses in Romania, Iasi, Romania; 7Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences, Klaipeda, LithuaniaCorrespondence: Anna-Karin Edberg, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, SE 291 88, Kristianstad, Sweden, Tel +46 44-250 39 75, Email anna-karin.edberg@hkr.seIntroduction: Health care professionals (HCPs) encounter different forms of loneliness in their work. It is essential that they have the courage, skills, and tools to deal with loneliness, in particular with existential loneliness (EL) which relates to meaning in life and the fundamentals of living and dying.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate HCPs’ views on loneliness among older people and their understanding, perception, and professional experience of EL in older people.Materials and Methods: In all, 139 HCPs from five European countries participated in audio-recorded focus group and individual interviews. The transcribed materials were locally analyzed using a predefined template. The participating countries’ results were then translated, merged, and inductively analyzed using conventional content analysis.Results: Participants described different forms of loneliness – a negative form that is unwanted and causes suffering, and a positive form where solitude is desired and sought. The results showed that the HCPs’ knowledge and understanding of EL varied. The HCPs mainly related EL to