Loneliness and Its Impact: An Overlooked Epidemic

Abstract

Approximately half of U.S. adults report experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.1 Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, irrespective of social contact, while social isolation is a lack of social connections. Therefore, social isolation may lead to loneliness for some, while others can feel lonely without being socially isolated. Both loneliness and social isolation are increasing exponentially. The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, recently declared loneliness and isolation as an underappreciated public health crisis, equating its impact on physical health to that of smoking 15 cigarettes per day.2 The primary method for measuring loneliness uses self-report surveys, where individuals evaluate their loneliness and social isolation by responding to statements about social interactions and emotions, indicating their agreement or frequency of these experiences. The UCLA Loneliness Scale is one of the most widely used tools which has 20 items, allowing individuals to subjectively assess their feelings on a scale from 1 to 4, covering aspects such as feeling excluded or having companionship. Scores ranging from 20 to 34 indicate a low level of loneliness, 35 to 49 indicate a moderate level, 50 to 64 reflect a moderately high level, and 65 to 80 indicate a high level of loneliness.3 Loneliness is inherently subjective, and individuals' perceptions of what constitutes loneliness can vary widely.