No matter the country, social connections can improve health and happiness, WHO says.
Photo by Jacob Wackerhausen, iStockphoto
Rising social isolation and loneliness are worsening health and well-being around the globe, a new report finds.
One in six people globally experience recurring loneliness, said the report, released by the World Health Organization Commission on Social Connection in June. Adolescents in low-income countries are most at risk, but the problem is increasingly prevalent in all global populations.
The report, “From Loneliness to Social Connection: Charting a Path to Healthier Societies,” draws on decades of studies conducted by researchers from many different countries. It comes after the U.S. surgeon general in 2023 released an advisory on loneliness and isolation, calling the problems an “epidemic.”
An estimated 871,000 global deaths between 2014 and 2019 were in some way associated with loneliness or social isolation. The conditions increase risks for stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline, the report said. Loneliness can also lead to depression, anxiety and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Young adults struggling with loneliness were 22% more likely to perform worse in school than their peers. Lonely adults were more likely to be unemployed.
“Left unaddressed, loneliness and social isolation will continue to cost society billions in terms of health care, education and employment,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, MSc, WHO director-general, said in a news release.
Societal triggers of loneliness and isolation are receiving more attention. In developed countries, digital technology is a factor, the report said, as people often use it when alone, and using it for social connection tends to be superficial and ultimately unsatisfying. Poor health, low income, low education and living alone are also factors.
“Even in a digitally connected world, many young people feel alone,” Chido Mpemba, MBA, co-chair of the commission, said in a news release. “As technology reshapes our lives, we must ensure it strengthens — not weakens — human connection.”
Being different in some way from society’s conventions also contributes to loneliness. People with disabilities and those from sexual or gender minority groups are at high risk for loneliness, as are immigrants and racial and ethnic minority populations, the commission said.
The report was released about a month after members of the World Health Assembly adopted a new resolution on social connection. WHO also announced a new campaign called “Knot Alone” to promote social connection for better health.
The commission calls on governments and individuals to prioritize social well-being as a critical aspect of public health work. More attention needs to be given to communities, which the commission calls the “heart of social connections.”
For more information, visit www.who.int.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
