Esther Cabrera

Prof. Esther Cabrera

Director Chair in Aging and Quality of Life. Fundació TecnoCampus
+3
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

26Years (2001-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 February 2014 in Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BABasema Afram
Basema Afram
ASAstrid Stephan
Astrid Stephan
HVHilde Verbeek
Hilde Verbeek
MBMichel H.C. Bleijlevens
Michel H.C. Bleijlevens
Riitta SuhonenRiitta Suhonen
Riitta Suhonen
JHJan P.H. Hamers
Jan P.H. Hamers

1 November 2015 in Health Policy
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PBPatrick Bremer
Patrick Bremer
Esther CabreraEsther Cabrera
Esther Cabrera
HLHelena Leino-Kilpi
Helena Leino-Kilpi
CLConnie Lethin
Connie Lethin
KSKai Saks
Kai Saks
AWAnsgar Wübker
Ansgar Wübker

10 April 2025 in BMC Geriatrics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MPMeritxell Puyané
Meritxell Puyané
CCCarolina Chabrera
Carolina Chabrera
EEnric Camón
Enric Camón
Esther CabreraEsther Cabrera
Esther Cabrera
Europe’s aging population increasingly faces social isolation and loneliness, with nearly 20% of older adults living alone. Social isolation refers to an objective lack of social contact, while loneliness is the subjective experience of unmet social needs. Both are prevalent among community-dwelling older adults, driven by life transitions, loss, and declining health. These issues severely impact mental and physical health, increasing risks of depression and suicidal ideation. This scoping review maps the literature, identifies knowledge gaps, and highlights key challenges regarding loneliness and social isolation in this population. A scoping review was conducted between March and September 2024, following the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. The review adhered to Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework, which includes identifying research questions, searching for and selecting relevant studies, extracting data, and synthesizing results. The search was conducted in major scientific databases, including Embase, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, along with grey literature sources, including doctoral theses and organizational reports. A total of 45 studies were included, with 66.6% using quantitative methods, 11.1% using qualitative methods, and the remainder being systematic reviews or mixed-method analyses. The studies revealed a significant prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults, with risk factors including health deterioration, widowhood, and loss of social networks. The consequences of loneliness and isolation span physical and mental health issues, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults are complex issues with profound implications for physical, mental, and social well-being. Addressing these challenges requires integrative approaches that consider individual, relational, and contextual factors. Further longitudinal and standardized research is needed to improve our understanding of the long-term impacts and effectiveness of interventions to mitigate these issues.

1 April 2015 in European Geriatric Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Esther CabreraEsther Cabrera
Esther Cabrera
CSCaroline Sutcliffe
Caroline Sutcliffe
HVH. Verbeek
H. Verbeek
KSK. Saks
K. Saks
MSM. Soto-Martin
M. Soto-Martin
AZAdelaida Zabalegui
Adelaida Zabalegui

1 January 2016 in Nurse Education Today
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Beata DobrowolskaBeata Dobrowolska
Beata Dobrowolska
IMIan McGonagle
Ian McGonagle
RKRoslyn Kane
Roslyn Kane
CJChristine S. Jackson
Christine S. Jackson
BKBarbara Kegl
Barbara Kegl
Alvisa PaleseAlvisa Palese
Alvisa Palese

1 November 2017 in Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CSCaroline Sutcliffe
Caroline Sutcliffe
CGClarissa Giebel
Clarissa Giebel
MBMichel Bleijlevens
Michel Bleijlevens
CLConnie Lethin
Connie Lethin
MSMinna Stolt
Minna Stolt
BVBruno Vellas
Bruno Vellas