Explore the vast range of titles available.

Loneliness is a growing public health concern among older adults. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of loneliness among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan and compared the performance of three loneliness measurement tools. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults aged ≥65 years recruited from community centers in Southern Taiwan. Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA-LS-20, UCLA-LS-3, and a single-item direct measure. Psychological and health-related variables included LSNS-6, GDS-15, GAD-7, and EQ-5D-5L. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with loneliness, and ROC analysis was performed to compare the discriminatory performance of the three instruments. Among 186 participants, the prevalence of loneliness ranged from 18% to 27% depending on the instrument used. Higher GDS-15 scores were consistently associated with loneliness across all models. Other associated factors included social network size, living arrangement, anxiety symptoms, and self-rated health. The models using the UCLA-LS-3 and single-item measure showed high AUC values (0.9005 and 0.8988, respectively), and the model using the UCLA-LS-20 also demonstrated good model-specific predictive performance (AUC=0.8123). Loneliness is common among older adults in Taiwan. Brief measures, such as the UCLA-LS-3 and single-item question, may be practical for community-based loneliness screening, and the UCLA-LS-20 remains useful for more comprehensive assessment.