Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government
Veterans Benefits and Health Care About VA Find a VA Location

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Effect of telehealth yoga on loneliness and social isolation among rural older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Teo, Benton, Hooker, Zaccari, Hidalgo, Newell, Tuepker, Greaves, Nicosia. Effect of telehealth yoga on loneliness and social isolation among rural older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Aging & mental health. 2025 May 1; 29(5):824-832, DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2449126.

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.    Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions


Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and social isolation are associated with a range of deleterious health outcomes. Yoga is a mind-body physical activity that is used in health care settings and increasingly in a telehealth group format. This trial aimed to determine the effect of a brief course of telehealth yoga on loneliness among rural older adults. METHOD: In this pragmatic trial among rural-residing Veterans Affairs patients over age 60 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05431166), participants were randomized to eight, 60-minute telehealth yoga classes delivered to their homes or waitlist control. The primary outcome was loneliness at 10 wk. Additional outcomes included measures of social isolation, fidelity, and acceptability, as well as interview findings. RESULTS: Of 70 participants, 52 completed follow-up (mean [SD] age 67.8 [5.9] years). Loneliness significantly decreased between baseline and follow-up in both groups, but there were no significant between-group differences in loneliness or social isolation. Ratings of fidelity and acceptability were high. Qualitative findings indicated benefits related to the telehealth format and aspects of social connection not captured in quantitative measures. CONCLUSION: A brief course of weekly telehealth yoga was feasible and acceptable among older rural patients but not effective at reducing loneliness and social isolation.




Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.