Janice Wood, PsychCentral, Aug 6, 2017
Loneliness and social isolation could be a greater public health hazard than obesity, and their impact will continue to grow, according to research presented at the 125th annual convention of the American Psychological Association.
"Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need - crucial to both well-being and survival. Extreme examples show infants in custodial care who lack human contact fail to thrive and often die, and indeed, social isolation or solitary confinement has been used as a form of punishment," said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University.
The second study, involving 70 studies representing more than 3.4 million individuals primarily from North America but also from Europe, Asia, and Australia, examined the role that social isolation, loneliness, or living alone might have on mortality. Researchers found that all three had a significant and equal effect on the risk of premature death, one that was equal to or exceeded the effect of other well-accepted risk factors, such as obesity.
"There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators," said Holt-Lunstad. "With an increasing aging population, the effect on public health is only anticipated to increase. Indeed, many nations around the world now suggest we are facing a 'loneliness epidemic.' The challenge we face now is what can be done about it."
Holt-Lunstad recommends a greater priority be placed on research and resources to tackle this public health threat from the societal to the individual level.
For instance, greater emphasis could be placed on social skills training for children in schools and doctors should be encouraged to include social connectedness in medical screening, she said.
Additionally, people should be preparing for retirement socially as well as financially, as many social ties are related to the workplace, she noted.
She added that community planners should make sure to include shared social spaces that encourage gathering and interaction, such as recreation centers and community gardens.
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