WIKIMEDIA, BURIMThe evidence is mounting that elderly people who are socially isolated or lonely tend to die earlier than those who are more highly networked. According to a study published today (March 25) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, both social isolation and loneliness are associated with earlier death, but social isolation can predict death even when loneliness does not, indicating that the emotional effects of being alone are only part of the problem. How isolation leads to death is still unclear.
“Both social isolation and loneliness were significantly associated with greater odds of mortality [in the study],” said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychologist at Brigham Young University in Utah who was not involved in the research, in an email to The Scientist. “This study adds to our understanding by examining [the] relative influence [of each].”
Social isolation and loneliness are different, explained Andrew Steptoe, lead author of the study and a psychologist at University College London. He and colleagues measured social isolation by asking whether participants were living without a spouse or partner, whether they were members of social clubs or participated in other group activities, and whether they saw their friends, children, or other family members less than once a month. They measured loneliness through asking ...
