Abstract
In the present review, we argue that social disconnectedness could and should be included in primary-care screening protocols for the detection of cardiometabolic disease. Empirical evidence indicates that weak social connectedness represents a serious risk factor for chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and various cancers. Weak social connectedness, however, is largely regarded as a second-tier health-risk factor in clinical and research settings. This may be because the mechanisms by which this factor impacts on physical health are poorly understood. Budding research, however, advances the idea that social connectedness buffers against stress-related allostatic load-a known precursor for cardiovascular disease and cancer. The present paper reviews the empirical knowledge on the relationship between everyday stress, social connectedness, and allostatic load. Of 6022 articles retained in the literature search, 20 met predefined inclusion criteria. These studies overwhelmingly support the notion that social connectedness correlates negatively with allostatic load. Several moderators of this relationship were also identified, including gender, social status, and quality of social ties. More research into these factors, however, is warranted to conclusively determine their significance. The current evidence strongly indicates that the more socially connected individuals are, the less likely they are to experience chronic stress and associated allostatic load. The negative association between social connectedness and various chronic diseases can thus, at least partially, be explained by the buffering qualities of social connectedness against allostatic load. We argue that assessing social connectedness in clinical and epidemiological settings may therefore represent a considerable asset in terms of prevention and intervention.
Highlights
BackgroundCardiometabolic diseases (CMD) such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the leading cause of premature death globally
Lundstadt et al [4] argued that in spite of the evidence, weak social connectedness was grossly underestimated as a health-risk factor by health professionals and laypeople alike, and as such was seldomly addressed in healthcare settings
Socially isolated women were 38% more likely than socially connected women to record high-risk levels of fibrinogen. They only had slightly and non-significantly elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Mapping these results onto mortality, the results showed that everyday stress and the associated Allostatic Load (AL) accounted for statistically significant proportions of the association between social isolation and all-cause mortality (14%), CVD mortality (12%), and cancer mortality (24%)
Summary
BackgroundCardiometabolic diseases (CMD) such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the leading cause of premature death globally. A plethora of empirical studies have shown that the majority of CMDs can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors such as unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol use, and leading a sedentary lifestyle (collectively the Big 4) [2]. Indicate that there are other important modifiable risk factors beyond the Big 4, which are often overlooked in both research and practice. The more socially disconnected people were, the more likely they were to develop CMDs, cancer, and mental health problems. Lundstadt et al [4] argued that in spite of the evidence, weak social connectedness was grossly underestimated as a health-risk factor by health professionals and laypeople alike, and as such was seldomly addressed in healthcare settings. More recent studies indicate that little, if anything, has changed in this regard in the past decade [5, 6]
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