Previous research finds that…
- Various factors, such as disability and major life events (e.g., loss of spouse) can put older adults at greater risk of experiencing social isolation or loneliness.
- The prevalence rate of social isolation is around 10% to 15% in a number of European studies.
- The level of health risk associated with social isolation has been compared with that of cigarette smoking, obesity and other major biomedical and psychosocial risk factors.