A large scale study of more than 135,000 adults has found widespread loneliness and social isolation across England, with some of the highest levels reported in major cities and many people saying the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated their experiences.
Almost one in six adults reported feeling lonely “often or always”, while more than one in five frequently experienced a lack of companionship or feelings of being left out or isolated. Furthermore, the research also highlights the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 44% of respondents saying it increased their loneliness and 48.2% reporting increased feelings of isolation.
The study, titled INTERACT, is one of the world's largest dedicated studies of loneliness and the researchers, based at Imperial College London are calling for loneliness to be treated as a public health issue affecting people throughout adulthood, contrary to the belief it is primarily older people that experience loneliness as a problem. They also emphasized that loneliness can have a lasting effect on both physical and mental health and highlighted the importance of social care interventions in order to combat the issue.
To elaborate on this, Professor Azeem Majeed, from Imperial College London's School of Public Health and senior author of the study, states “I see how loneliness affects both the mental and physical health of my patients. It contributes to problems such as anxiety and depression, increases the risk of long-term conditions, and often leads to more frequent GP consultations. These findings reinforce what we’re seeing in primary care: loneliness affects people of all ages, not just older adults, with many people reporting that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their feelings of loneliness and isolation.”
He continues, “Loneliness is not just a healthcare challenge. If we want to tackle the problem in our communities, we need joined-up, place-based approaches that go beyond the consulting room and help people build stronger social connections and support networks. By strengthening community connections and social capital, we can help prevent loneliness and enable people to live healthier, happier and more connected lives.”
Loneliness and social isolation can have significant and lasting effects on both physical and mental health, with potential impacts on quality and length of life. The World Health Organization recognised loneliness as a global public health issue across all age groups in 2023.
The INTERACT study, examined loneliness, social isolation, neighbourhood trust and social connections across England. A total of 135,725 people aged 16 and over took part in an online survey conducted over five months in 2023.
The study found that some of the highest levels of loneliness were concentrated in major cities, including London, Birmingham and Manchester. Researchers said this may reflect the “urban paradox”, where people living in large cities can experience lower levels of social connection and happiness despite having greater access to economic, cultural and social opportunities.
However, the researchers stressed that the study does not provide an accurate estimate of loneliness across the wider population. Participants volunteered to take part online, meaning people who were particularly interested in or affected by loneliness may have been more likely to participate. The sample also included a higher proportion of highly educated people and fewer participants from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Dr Austen El-Osta, study lead for INTERACT notes “Loneliness is often treated as a private experience, but our findings reinforce that it is also a public health and community issue. INTERACT gives us one of the largest & most detailed descriptive datasets on loneliness & social connection in England, helping us understand not only who reports loneliness, but how it relates to neighbourhood trust, social capital & place.”
He continues “the key message is not simply that many people feel lonely, but that loneliness is strongly influenced by people’s surroundings, social network, and their environment. Public health responses need to look beyond individual resilience and consider the environments, services & community assets that help people feel connected, supported & able to participate.”
The researchers caution that the study provides a valuable snapshot rather than an accurate estimate of loneliness across the population, due to limitations including the way participants were recruited.
However, they say INTERACT could provide new insights into patterns of loneliness, geographic clustering, its potential causes and possible solutions, while providing a useful benchmark for future research.
To read the full article, please clink on the link: One in six adults in England report persistent loneliness, major study finds | Imperial News | Imperial College London
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