Sense of loneliness of veterans in Southern Iran: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aims More than three decades have passed since the end of the Iraq-Iran war, and this period has been concurrent with a rapid growth of the older community in Iran which includes the community of veterans who often suffer from serious psychological and behavioral problems. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of loneliness in middle and older veterans in southern Iran. Materials & methods A cross-sectional study conducted among 583 middle and older male veterans (50 years <) who were selected by the census method in 2021. Data collection was done using UCLA Loneliness Scales. The collected data were entered into SPSS version-26 and Amos-24 and analyzed by multivariate ANOVA, multivariate regression, and structural equation at a threshold significance level of 0.05. Findings The mean score of feeling lonely in the veterans was 51.08 ± 4.74. The study found a significant relationship between the participants’ education and their feeling of loneliness (P-value = 0.01, effect size = -0.31). Multivariate regression demonstrated that demographic variables (i.e., age, employment status, level of education, type of living) and the severity and type of injury predict 31% of the variance in the middle and older veterans’ feeling of loneliness. Conclusion The mental, psychological and physical effects of war disability were associated with the social functions of veterans in the family and community. Strategies such as increasing social support and psychological counseling for veterans along with improving their pension and income can be effective in promoting public health, especially the mental health of this group.