The loneliness epidemic no-one is talking about
How rising levels of social isolation and loneliness are making society sicker
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🤷♂️ Problem
Loneliness and social isolation is increasing
One in five Americans feel socially isolated
1.3 million people in the UK are thought to be severely socially isolated
The impact on health is significant. Higher mortality rates, worse outcomes in cardiovascular disease, increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and poor mental health.
💡 Solution
Use platforms to connect people to social interactions
Use new tools and products to mimic social interactions
📖 Terms
Social isolation - the absence of social interactions, contacts, and relationships with family, friends and neighbours, and with society at large
Loneliness - a subjective, negative feeling related to deficient social relations. Someone might be subjectively lonely but not objectively isolated.
Social isolation and loneliness are interlinked and problematic for health
Kodokushi - A Japanese word that describes the phenomenon of people dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time. Rates of kodokushi are increasing in Japan.
📚 History
Much of the research in the field of loneliness has been carried out by John T Cacioppo - one of the founders of ‘social neuroscience’. He argued that loneliness should be recognised as a public health issue.
There’s an anthropological angle. Humans have evolved to be social animals, relying on social connection and cooperation to survive and thrive.
But the impact of isolation is very much physiological. Cacioppo suggests that loneliness triggers a flight-or-fight response. This state of hyper-vigilance is a survival mechanism that has been embedded in our nervous systems for millenia.
The rise of chronic isolation and loneliness likely began in the 19th century once individuals could meet their basic needs of food, shelter and safety without the requirement of a permanent tribe or family unit.
But the same physiological responses to isolation still prevails, and the persistence of these effects leads to the wide range of physical and mental health problems we see today.
Prior to COVID-19, the prevalence of social isolation across the US, Europe and China was high enough for it to be called a ‘behavioural epidemic. The situation has only worsened in the wake of the pandemic.
👊 Impact
Higher mortality
Worse cardiovascular disease outcomes
Increased risk of Alzheimers disease
Worse depressive symptoms
Under diagnosis of diabetes
👥 Players
Papa - on-demand service connecting older people with ‘Papa Pals’ - individuals who can provide companionship and assistance with daily tasks
Mon Amis - Connects older people with volunteers who chat on the phone and run specific errands like grocery shopping
Alcuris - supporting vulnerable and older people through tele-care products
Panion - culture and community building for organisations. Provides a suite of digital tools to help people connect online or in-person.
No Isolation - Norwegian start up creating ‘warm technology’ products to combat isolation in the elderly and children
QuarantineChat - free service connecting mutually isolated individuals through phone calls
Twine - 1 to 1 video chat platform for companies, aiming to accelerate human connections and reduce social isolation
Lena - AI chatbot companion to help reduce social isolation in the elderly
Homeshare - connects elderly people with spare rooms, with individuals seeking cheap accommodation who don’t mind helping out and providing social support
🔮 Predictions
The negative health outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (aside from cancer survival and delayed elective surgery) will be partly explained by increased rates of social isolation caused by widespread lockdowns and social distancing measures
Certain groups are more at risk of social isolation (the elderly, those from a lower socioeconomic class), but evidence will continue to support the notion that social isolation affects individuals across all income groups, education levels and ethnicities
The need for interventions that focus on the elderly as the primary user group will drive innovation in accessible technology that can be used by the digitally illiterate
A combination of remote working tools, work from home policies and rising single occupant households will increase the rates of social isolation amongst a previously protected cohort
The impact of social isolation is cumulative. Teenagers who progress from remote high school teaching to a remote university education will be amongst the highest risk for social isolation in their adult lives.
🌅 Opportunities
Niches. The elderly are the prototypical group associated with social isolation, but tools and interventions should be built to help other subgroups including adolescents.
Leverage existing resources. Social prescribing is used to provide access to non-clinical services that focus on holistic healthcare. Use social prescribing to target social isolation and loneliness.
Changing employment trends. Care roles are hard to automate and the pandemic has led to a large pool of motivated job seekers. Platforms that safely connect those in need of interaction with those that can provide it will benefit from plenty of appropriate candidates.
Proactive healthcare. Tackling social isolation will help avoid downstream health events that are costly to health providers. Increased awareness of the health benefits of socially engaged individuals will provide cost savings in the longer term.
National champions. The UK has had a ‘Minister for Loneliness’ since 2018. Other governments should create similar roles which advocate for more funding to combat social isolation and provide support to charities or companies who are implementing innovative solutions.
🔗 Links
This article describing programmes to help the socially isolated in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic
This book by Vivek Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, on the loneliness epidemic and it’s role in addiction, mental health and poor health outcomes
This book by Fay Alberti argues that loneliness is a modern phenomenon that spans a variety of emotional states depending on class, gender and other factors
This report by the Jo Cox Foundation highlighting the scale of loneliness across the lifecycle and throughout all areas of society
An article about Tracy Crouch - the UK’s first Minister for Loneliness
Thanks for reading, see you next week 👋