Evidence base
The Lancet Healthy Longevity
The Effects of Volunteering on Loneliness Among Lonely Older Adults: The HEAL-HOA Dual Randomised Controlled Trial
What it found
This randomised controlled trial tested whether prosocial engagement and volunteering reduce loneliness among lonely older adults in Hong Kong, comparing participants against a control group. It is one of the few RCTs in this area, in a field otherwise dominated by uncontrolled programme evaluations.
Why it matters for practice
Because it uses a controlled design, this trial carries more evidential weight than most volunteering-and-loneliness studies, and should be a reference point when assessing claims made from weaker, uncontrolled evaluations of similar programmes.