By Jennifer Fiorillo
Mental Health
Jennifer Fiorillo
Loneliness and social isolation have become widespread issues in the US, affecting one in three adults over the age of 45 and one in four adults aged 65 and older, based on a 2020 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The US Surgeon General has declared loneliness and isolation a public health issue, and he released a 2023 advisory report on the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation that outlines the effects of social and community connection.
This report highlights many alarming statistics around loneliness and reduced social connectedness and its impact on our mental and physical health that are not just exclusive to older adults.
Social isolation and loneliness can be linked to an increase in premature death, heart disease and stroke as well as higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. The report from the National Academies found that social isolation was associated with a 50 percent increased risk of dementia and a 68 percent increased risk of hospitalization among heart failure patients.
Immigrants, members of the LGBTQ community and older adults are at an increased risk of low social connectedness for a variety of reasons that include language barriers, discrimination, feelings on not being accepted and poor health that limits opportunities for interaction.
One striking reality of today is the notable increase in the amount of time people spend alone as well as the decrease in social engagement. Young people aged 15-24 have shown nearly a 70 percent decrease in the amount of time spent with friends in-person from 150 minutes per day in 2003 to 40 minutes per day in 2020. The size of social networks decreased by 16 percent between June 2019 and June 2020. People are reporting having fewer close friends now than three decades ago.
Some of this can be attributed to the social isolation that many experienced through the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is also a sign that we are more disengaged from people and the outside world.
There have been efforts to address social connectedness in communities that acknowledge the impact of social isolation on health and well-being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports the Building Resilient Inclusive Communities program that was implemented across 20 states and 60 communities to promote individual and community resiliency. One of the three main areas of focus for BRIC is social connectedness, along with nutrition security and safe physical activity. Several other national partnerships and coalitions have formed to address isolation and loneliness as well as community-wide strategies and activities to promote engagement, inclusion and social contact.
The need for belonging and feeling like we’re part of something meaningful is inherent in the human condition. Communities can offer the tools to tackle loneliness and isolation through public education, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, research and tailored programs. What matters the most is that communities embrace the idea of inclusion for all people. With everyone’s participation and commitment to ending social isolation, there can be a lasting impact on health outcomes and increased quality of life.
Jennifer Fiorillo, MBA, MPH is the president and CEO of Bridges Healthcare in Milford, and may be reached at Jfiorillo@bridgesmilford.org.