Journal ArticleDOI
Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review
TLDR
Overall, the influence of both objective and subjective social isolation on risk for mortality is comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality.Abstract:
Actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality. In this meta-analytic review, our objective is to establish the overall and relative magnitude of social isolation and loneliness and to examine possible moderators. We conducted a literature search of studies (January 1980 to February 2014) using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Google Scholar. The included studies provided quantitative data on mortality as affected by loneliness, social isolation, or living alone. Across studies in which several possible confounds were statistically controlled for, the weighted average effect sizes were as follows: social isolation odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, loneliness OR = 1.26, and living alone OR = 1.32, corresponding to an average of 29%, 26%, and 32% increased likelihood of mortality, respectively. We found no differences between measures of objective and subjective social isolation. Results remain consistent across gender, length of follow-up, and world region, but initial health status has an influence on the findings. Results also differ across participant age, with social deficits being more predictive of death in samples with an average age younger than 65 years. Overall, the influence of both objective and subjective social isolation on risk for mortality is comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality.read more
Citations
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An overview of systematic reviews on the public health consequences of social isolation and loneliness
TL;DR: It is highlighted that there is consistent evidence linking social isolation and loneliness to worse cardiovascular and mental health outcomes and Prevention strategies should therefore be developed across the public and voluntary sectors, using an asset-based approach.
Journal ArticleDOI
Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies
TL;DR: The findings suggest that deficiencies in social relationships are associated with an increased risk of developing CHD and stroke in high-income countries.
Journal ArticleDOI
How important are the common factors in psychotherapy? An update.
TL;DR: The contextual model of psychotherapy is outlined, and the evidence for four factors related to specificity, including treatment differences, specific ingredients, adherence, and competence, supports the conclusion that the common factors are important for producing the benefits of Psychotherapy.
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Students under lockdown: Comparisons of students' social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland.
TL;DR: The results indicate the importance of considering social contacts in students’ mental health and offer starting points to identify and support students at higher risk of social isolation and negative psychological effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mitigating the wider health effects of covid-19 pandemic response.
TL;DR: Several mechanisms through which the pandemic response is likely to affect health are summarised: economic effects, social isolation, family relationships, health related behaviours, disruption to essential services, disrupted education, transport and green space, social disorder, and psychosocial effects.
References
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Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review
TL;DR: In a meta-analysis, Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues find that individuals' social relationships have as much influence on mortality risk as other well-established risk factors for mortality, such as smoking.
Journal ArticleDOI
Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents
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The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and Discriminant Validity Evidence
TL;DR: The authors presented a revised version of the self-report UCLA Loneliness Scale, designed to counter the possible effects of response bias in the original scale, and reported concurrent validity evidence for the revised measure.