Situations in which loneliness is more prevalent among people with visual disability
Abstract
Introduction: This study analyses situations in which feelings of loneliness most frequently arise among people with blindness or severe visual impairment Methods: A telephone survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,069 persons who are members of the Spanish National Organisation for the Blind (ONCE). Results: The worsening of visual impairment is the situation that most frequently generates feelings of loneliness among respondents (45.4 %), followed by daylight hours (41.8 %), days with bad weather (39.9 %), celebration days (39.6 %) and weekends (38.7 %). In addition, significant differences were detected depending on gender and age, among other variables. Discussion: In addition to the usual situations that can generate feelings of loneliness in any person, for people with blindness or severe visual impairment we must add those situations that are inherent to this disability. Moreover, such people cannot be regarded as a uniform group and the strategies to combat loneliness must therefore be diverse.
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