Prevention of feelings of loneliness in persons with disability

Introduction. Feelings of loneliness are widespread among the population. The main factors contributing to this feeling include disability, old age, living alone, lack of family, close relatives, and friends, infrequent social contact, and illness.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the current state and potential use of online resources to prevent loneliness in individuals with disabilities.

Materials and methods. Seven hundred thirty two respondents were recruited for the 2024 sociological study, including 100 individuals with disabilities who completed a questionnaire and the Russell and Ferguson Diagnostic Test. Focus groups with six specialists were used to examine the potential use of online resources to prevent loneliness in individuals with disabilities.

Results. The feeling of loneliness occurs in almost all persons with disability, the degree of which largely was established to depend on the disability group. The emergence of a feeling of loneliness in persons with disability is related with poor health, low financial security, insufficient communication with people, etc. To distract themselves from the feeling of loneliness, most persons with disability study Internet resources, watch feature films, listen to music, work, take into account their health and age, walk, etc. Involving persons with disability in the development of Internet resources contributes to their social adaptation, self-development, obtaining a new specialty and employment, which in turn reduces their feeling of loneliness.

Research limitations. The study involved citizens living in Moscow and the Moscow region, and therefore the conclusions substantiated in the article can be extrapolated to residents of the Moscow region.

Conclusion. The use of Internet resources by persons with disability everyday activities is an important area of ​​​​preventing their feelings of loneliness.

Compliance with ethical standards. All patients and interviewed specialists signed informed consent to participate in this study. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Healthcare Department (protocol dated September 2, 2024 No. 09-01/EK/2024).

Contribution of the authors:
Tregubov V.N. — concept and design of the study, writing the text, collecting and processing the material, editing;
Adamia A.V. — collecting and processing the material, statistical processing of the data, writing the text, compiling the list of references.
All co-authors — approved the final version of the article, responsible for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: April 14, 2025 / Accepted: December 17, 2025 / Published: March 4, 2026

1. Muromtseva G.A., Shalnova S.A., Deev A.D., Konstantinov V.V., Kapustina A.V., Balanova Yu.A., et al. Attitude towards risk factors and their association with socioeconomic and demographic indicators. Profilakticheskaya meditsina. 2016; 19(6): 12–20. https://doi.org/10.17116/profmed201619512-20 https://elibrary.ru/yfozoh (in Russian)

2. Kamalova S., Azizov Z.A., Kuzieva L.S. Analysis of some aspects of life of elderly people (to the SRI of Medical social expertise and rehabillitation of the disabled). Vestnik poslediplomnogo obrazovaniya v sfere zdravookhraneniya. 2023; (1): 17–21. https://elibrary.ru/kdczdg (in Russian)

3. Natsun L.N. Attitudes and practices of active longevity among persons with and without disabilities. Siberian Socium. 2022; 6(4): 77–94. https://doi.org/10.21684/2587-8484-2022-6-4-77-94 https://elibrary.ru/anuvav (in Russian)

4. Tregubov V.N. Organizational directions for the prevention of feelings of loneliness among students of medical educational organizations. Sotsial’nye aspekty zdorov’ya naseleniya. 2024; 70(5): 16. https://doi.org/10.21045/2071-5021-2024-70-5-16 https://elibrary.ru/gybyua (in Russian)

5. Choyzhalsanova A.C. New opportunities and barriers to social adaptation of persons with disabilities in the context of digital transformation. Fundamental’nye issledovaniya. 2021; (11): 190–4. https://doi.org/10.17513/fr.43144 https://elibrary.ru/krsbme (in Russian)

6. Gukova V.O., Machulo A.N., Rodionova M.A. Current needs and trends in teaching computer literacy to senior citizens and disabled people of St. Petersburg. Sotsial’naya rabota: teoriya, metody, praktika. 2023; (8): 93–102. https://elibrary.ru/ofcfrr (in Russian)

7. Kamenkova N.V., Shadchin I.V. Ensuring the availability of vocational education for young people with disabilities in the Chelyabinsk region. Innovatsionnoe razvitie professional’nogo obrazovaniya. 2021; (2): 83–9. https://elibrary.ru/thvwla (in Russian)

8. Kibakin S.V., Malakhova E.A. Digital sociology and new opportunities for social educational rehabilitation of disabled people. Tsifrovaya sotsiologiya. 2020; 3(2): 55–62. https://doi.org/10.26425/2658-347X-2020-2-55-62 https://elibrary.ru/zduxsu (in Russian)

9. Razov P.V., Kibakina A.Yu. Social institution of tutoring in educational rehabilitation of disabled people based on Internet technologies. Tsifrovaya sotsiologiya. 2020; 3(1): 19–26. https://doi.org/10.26425/2658-347X-2020-1-19-26 https://elibrary.ru/ifdqml (in Russian)

10. Usova L.V., Studenikina E.S. The internet as an indicator for the integration of the disabled into society. Teoriya i praktika obshchestvennogo razvitiya. 2020; (6): 18–22. https://doi.org/10.24158/tipor.2020.6.2 https://elibrary.ru/hfwjfh (in Russian)

11. Lancioni G.E., Singh N.N., O’Reilly M.F., Sigafoos J., Alberti G., Chiariello V., et al. People with intellectual and visual disabilities access basic leisure and communication using a smartphone’s Google Assistant and voice recording devices. Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol. 2020; 17(8): 957–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2020.1836047

12. Buckingham S.A., Anil K., Demain S., Gunn H., Jones R.B., Kent B., et al. Telerehabilitation for people with physical disabilities and movement impairment: a survey of United Kingdom practitioners. JMIRx Med. 2022; 3(1): e30516. https://doi.org/10.2196/30516

13. Kyung R., Park Ch.S.E. How artificial intelligence and virtual reality benefit the elderly and individuals with disabilities. J. Geriatr. Med. 2020; 1(2): 8–14. https://doi.org/10.30564/jgm.v1i2.1824 https://elibrary.ru/crlvgf

14. Delgado P., Fajardo I., Lucas B., Ferrer A., Ávila V. Young adults with intellectual disability, their relatives, and the Internet: perceptions and use during COVID-19 confinement in Spain. Behav. Inform. Technol. 2023; 43(13): 3237–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2023.2274882

15. Salauddin N. Accessibility of information resources and services in the library for the users with disabilities: a study. Indian J. Inf. Sources Serv. 2022; 12(1): 47–51. https://doi.org/10.51983/ijiss-2022.12.1.3158

16. Robinson-Whelen S., Hughes R.B., Alhusen J.L., Beers L., Minard C.G., Davidson D. Health information seeking in the digital age: a national survey of women with disabilities. Disabil. Rehabil. 2022; 45(17): 2751–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2105960

17. Valeyeva E.T., Akhmetshina V.T., Shaikhlislamova E.R., Bakieva R.M., Distanova A.A. Analysis of selected indices of disability of adult population and health care workers of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Zdravookhranenie Rossiiskoi Federatsii. 2021; 65(3): 191–7. https://doi.org/10.47470/0044-197X-2021-65-3-191-197https://elibrary.ru/egsznw (in Russian)

18. Borodina O.D., Savchenko V.V. Innovative forms of social service of invalids and elderly at home. Mezhdunarodnyi zhurnal prikladnykh i fundamental’nykh issledovanii. 2016; (2–2): 321–4. https://elibrary.ru/vmckzj (in Russian)

19. Omarov M.O. Political and legal aspects of activating the life of older people. Russian Economic Bulletin. 2020; 3(6): 191–4. https://elibrary.ru/wrygcj (in Russian)

20. Androsova M.I., Afanasyeva L.I., Kholmogorova T.V. Provision of social and psychological assistance to single elderly people. Problemy sovremennogo pedagogicheskogo obrazovaniya. 2020; (69-1): 30–3. https://elibrary.ru/ukqlpw (in Russian)

21. Oleynik N.O. Features of the structure of the experience of loneliness in students with different levels of loneliness. Vestnik Voronezhskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Problemy vysshego obrazovaniya. 2023; (3): 74–7. (in Russian)

22. Aymaletdinov T.A., Lyubimova L.I. The innovative possibilities of internet technologies in the social adaptation of the disabled. Sotsiologiya meditsiny. 2012; (1): 51–5. https://elibrary.ru/pejpzv (in Russian)

23. Kozyreva P.M., Smirnov A.I. Social well-being dynamics among the disabled: concerns and hopes. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya. 2019; (8): 62–74. https://doi.org/10.31857/S013216250006161-0 https://elibrary.ru/iohmoy (in Russian)

24. Kopalkina E.G. Assistance of educational organizations in employment of students and graduates with disabilities: regional aspect. Vektory blagopoluchiya: ekonomika i sotsium. 2023; 51(4): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.18799/26584956/2023/4/1635 https://elibrary.ru/dbvjfs (in Russian)