Cited by 898Health disparities and outcomesCOVID-19 and Mental HealthDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

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The growing problem of loneliness

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Cacioppo, John T, Cacioppo, Stephanie·2018·The Lancet

DOI 10.1016/s0140-6736(18)30142-9PMC PMC6530780

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A Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys: Results From Two Population-Based Studies
Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/0164027504268574 · Cited by 4,781
Self-citation
A Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Reduce Loneliness
Masi, C. M., Chen, H.-Y., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2011) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868310377394 · Cited by 1,995
Self-citation
The neuroendocrinology of social isolation
Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J. P., & Cole, S. W. (2015) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015240 · Cited by 977
Self-citation
Toward a neurology of loneliness
Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J. P., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2014) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0037618 · Cited by 623
Self-citation
Myeloid differentiation architecture of leukocyte transcriptome dynamics in perceived social isolation
Cole, S. W., Capitanio, J. P., Chun, K., Arevalo, J. M. G., Ma, J., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2015) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1514249112 · Cited by 310
Self-citation
Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for CVD: implications for evidence-based patient care and scientific inquiry
Holt‐Lunstad, J., & Smith, T. B. (2016) · Heart · doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2015-309242 · Cited by 282
Why Loneliness Is Hazardous to Your Health
Miller, G. L. (2011) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.331.6014.138 · Cited by 128

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Perceived Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Social Support Resources of Frail Older People Ageing in Place Alone in Italy
Melchiorre, M. G., Socci, M., Lamura, G., & Quattrini, S. (2024) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare12090875 · Cited by 14
“Other authors confirm such a possible context, i.e., a poor social network does not necessarily mean feeling lonely, since loneliness can exist even when a senior is “surrounded” by several persons [22,86,87].”
Background
“When i feel lonely, i’m not nice (and neither are you)”: the short- and long-term relation between loneliness and reports of social behaviour
Gong, X., & Nikitin, J. (2021) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2021.1905612 · Cited by 13
“In almost all socio-cognitive models of loneliness, perception of the self in relation to others plays a crucial role (e.g. Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Cacioppo & Hawkley, 2009; Christensen & Kashy, 1998; Tsai & Reis, 2009; van Roekel et al., 2016).”
BackgroundInfluential
Rural Social Participation through Osekkai during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ohta, R., Yata, A., Arakawa, Y., Maiguma, K., & Sano, C. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18115924 · Cited by 13
“Thus, our research question is, Is there a relationship between involvement in Osekkai and social participation in rural areas? Clarifying the effects of such Osekkai conferences can motivate other rural communities to follow the trend and improve their community’s conditions, especially given the decreasing global so…”
BackgroundInfluential
Self-esteem, Interpersonal Communication Competence, and Media and Technology Usage as Predictors of Loneliness Among University Students
van Tonder, J. I., Jordaan, J., & Esterhuyse, K. G. F. (2023) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/21582440221148379 · Cited by 28
“…students, mainly due to researchers advocating that loneliness should be labeled as a public health problem, especially in university populations, in order to investigate causes of and find solutions for this phenomenon (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Feng et al., 2019; HoltLunstad et al., 2015).”
Background
Prevalence and correlates of loneliness in India: A systematic reviewPreprint
Hossain, M. M., Purohit, N., Khan, N., McKyer, E. L. J., Ma, P., Bhattacharya, S., & Pawar, P. P. (2020) · doi:10.31124/advance.11533026.v3 · Cited by 14
Effects of reminiscence therapy for loneliness in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yang, H., Zhong, Q., Han, B., Pu, Y., He, R., Huang, K., Jiao, Y., Han, R., Kong, Q., Jia, Y., et al. (2025) · Age and Ageing · doi:10.1093/ageing/afaf136 · Cited by 16
The changes in feeling of loneliness after retirement among baby boomers and pre-boomers in Taiwan: Do work-family conflict before retirement and social engagement after retirement matter?
Chiao, C., Kuo, P., Li, D., & Hu, S. C. (2022) · SSM - Population Health · doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101264 · Cited by 12
“…2022; Received in revised form 2 October 2022; Accepted 10 October 2022 SSM - Population Health 20 (2022) 101264 this significant demographic transition affects older adults’ social and family relationships, which may lead to an increase in the severity of loneliness (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
Understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life: qualitative protocol to inform technology development
Rees, J., Liu, W., Sebastien Ourselin, A., Shi, Y., Probst, F., Antonelli, M., Tinker, A., & Matcham, F. (2023) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072420 · Cited by 10
Sex-related differences in the associations between diurnal cortisol pattern and social and emotional loneliness in older adults
Mardomingo, C. D., Utrera, L., Baliyan, S., García‐Herranz, S., Suárez-Falcón, J. C., Rodríguez‐Fernández, R., Sampedro‐Piquero, P., Valencia, A., & Venero, C. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1199405 · Cited by 14
“As such, loneliness has been found to be a major risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality, particularly among older adults (Steptoe et al., 2013; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015; Elovainio et al., 2017; Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; Rico-Uribe et al., 2018; Schutter et al., 2021).”
The mediating role of sport-specific PERMA in the relationship between physical activity/passive sport and global well-being/loneliness
Oshimi, D., Kinoshita, K., & Yamashita, R. (2023) · Journal of Leisure Research · doi:10.1080/00222216.2023.2287009 · Cited by 12
“This study introduced loneliness, which has negative impacts on physical and mental well-being (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018), to examine the relationship.”
The Emotional Burden of Loneliness and its Association with Mental Health Outcomes
Lazuras, L., Ypsilanti, A., & Mullings, E. L. (2024) · International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12529-023-10255-1 · Cited by 12
“Loneliness, defined as the discrepancy between the desired and actual meaningful social relationships one has, is theoretically and empirically distinguished from social isolation, which reflects one’s richness of and embeddedness within social networks [1].”
Background
The health consequences of loneliness
Rokach, A., & Patel, K. (2024) · Environment and Social Psychology · doi:10.54517/esp.v9i6.2150 · Cited by 20
“Loneliness has recently been reported to affect as much as one third of individuals in industrialized countries, across all age groups [74] .”
Background
The silent epidemic of loneliness: identifying the antecedents of loneliness using a lagged exposure-wide approach
Hong, J. H., Nakamura, J. S., Sahakari, S. S., Chopik, W. J., Shiba, K., VanderWeele, T. J., & Kim, E. S. (2024) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291723002581 · Cited by 17
“People can feel lonely even when with others, and research consistently finds that loneliness is only weakly associated with objective social isolation (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Larson, 1990).”
Background
The impact of PTSD symptoms on suicide ideation in time of terror and war: A nationwide prospective study on the moderating role of loneliness
Levi‐Belz, Y., Blank, C., Groweiss, Y., & Neria, Y. (2024) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115996 · Cited by 12
Friendship matters: indirect effect of social support from friends on depressive symptoms and loneliness among university students
Kulari, G., Ribeiro, L., & Tomé‐Pires, C. (2025) · Studies in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/03075079.2025.2456999 · Cited by 13
“Considering that loneliness is becoming a new public health concern (Cacioppo and Cacioppo 2018), several universities in Portugal have implemented psychological intervention programmes.”
Venerable vulnerability or remarkable resilience? A prospective study of the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures on loneliness in Swedish older adults with home care
Gustafsson, P. E., Nilsson, I., & Sebastiån, M. S. (2022) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060209 · Cited by 12
Changed Substance Use After Psychedelic Experiences Among Individuals in Canada
Boehnke, K. F., Kruger, D. J., & Lucas, P. (2023) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-023-01085-z · Cited by 17
“In light of emerging research highlighting the negative health impacts of loneliness and isolation (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018) and the growing understanding of the importance of social connectedness to overall physical and psychological well-being (Pietrabissa & Simpson, 2020), this may ultimately…”
“I can get to a happy place by visiting nature”: The benefits of implementing nature walking groups within mental health services
Olcoń, K., Destry, P., Astell‐Burt, T., & Allan, J. (2023) · Environmental Advances · doi:10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100393 · Cited by 19
Equivalence of chatbot and paper-and-pencil versions of the De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale
Miedes, A. C., Belmonte, Ó., Castillo, A., Gascó, A., Sansano‐Sansano, E., & Montoliu, R. (2020) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-020-01117-0 · Cited by 12
“An effective evaluation of loneliness would also reduce health care costs and medical services overload (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Ercole & Parr, 2020).”
Background
Developing a Training Program for Digital Literacy Coaches for Older Adults: Lessons Learned from the Train-the-Trainer Program
McGinty, J. M. (2020) · Journal of Education and Training Studies · doi:10.11114/jets.v8i11.5002 · Cited by 12
“Cacioppo and Cacioppo (2018) suggest that loneliness is “a condition that makes a person irritable, depressed, and self-centered, and is associated with a 26% increase in the risk of premature mortality” (p.426).”
Background
Revisiting Loneliness: Individual and Country-Level Changes
Morgan, D., Dahlberg, L., Waldegrave, C., Mikulionienė, S., Rapolienė, G., Lamura, G., & Aartsen, M. (2021) · International perspectives on aging · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-51406-8_8 · Cited by 15
“2015) and increased health care and societal costs (Cacioppo and Cacioppo 2018).”
Background
Daily mobility, greenspace exposure and affective states: A systematic review of studies that use mobile methods
Deng, H., Kandt, J., Signorelli, V., & Shelton, N. J. (2025) · Landscape and Urban Planning · doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105407 · Cited by 12
Six-month outcomes of layperson-delivered, telephone-based behavioural activation and mindfulness interventions on loneliness among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The HEAL-HOA Dual Randomised Controlled Trial
Jiang, D., Kwok, J. Y. Y., Yeung, D. Y.-L., Tang, V. F. Y., Choi, N. G., Ho, R., Warner, L. M., & Chou, K. (2025) · Age and Ageing · doi:10.1093/ageing/afaf209 · Cited by 13
“Loneliness is associated with various adverse mental, physical and cognitive health outcomes [5–10].”
Against frictionless AI
Zohar, E., Bloom, P., & Inzlicht, M. (2026) · Communications Psychology · doi:10.1038/s44271-026-00402-1 · Cited by 18
Impact of Social Cognition on the Self-Rated Health of the Elderly and Its Mechanisms: Evidence From China’s Comprehensive Social Survey
Liu, Y., Hu, Y., & Nan, Y. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737081 · Cited by 11
“At present, a large number of studies have shown that social trust has a positive impact on individual self-reported health (Lin and Ensel, 1989; Skrabski et al., 2003; Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
The boundary between real and fictional others in the medial prefrontal cortex is blurred in lonelier individuals
Broom, T. W., & Wagner, D. D. (2023) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhad237 · Cited by 13
Loneliness, Living Alone, and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Older Adults in China
Tan, S., Liu, D., Zhang, Y., Li, S., Zhang, K., Tang, Z., & Zuo, H. (2024) · The Journals of Gerontology Series A · doi:10.1093/gerona/glae079 · Cited by 12
The impact of retirement on loneliness in Europe
Guthmuller, S., Heger, D., Hollenbach, J., & Werbeck, A. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-74692-y · Cited by 13
Looking Forward: Research to Respond to a Rapidly Aging Population
Lakin, K. C., & Burke, M. M. (2019) · Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities · doi:10.1177/1540796919882356 · Cited by 11
“…high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Hawkley, Thisted, Masi, & Cacioppo, 2010; Leigh-Hunt, Bagguley, & Bash, 2017; Perissinotto, Cenzer, & Covinsky, 2012).”
Loneliness and housing tenure: Older private renters and social housing tenants in Australia
Morris, A., & Verdasco, A. (2020) · Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1177/1440783320960527 · Cited by 13
“…older private renters, older social housing tenants Globally, loneliness is viewed as a critical social issue and one of the major health concerns of the contemporary period (Caciappo et al., 2009; Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015; López Doblas and Díaz Conde, 2018).”
Background
Social housing status impacts rhesus monkeys’ affective responding in classic threat processing tasks
Charbonneau, J. A., Amaral, D. G., & Bliss‐Moreau, E. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-08077-4 · Cited by 10
Perceived Peer Relationships in Adolescence and Loneliness in Emerging Adulthood and Workplace Contexts
Chiao, C., Lin, K.-C., & Chyu, L. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.794826 · Cited by 11
“Despite global support for improving the psychological well-being of adolescents over the past few decades, youth psychological well-being, including loneliness, still remains a great concern (Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
Wearables, sensors and the future of technology to detect and infer loneliness in older adults
Rees, J., Matcham, F., Probst, F., Sebastien Ourselin, A., Shi, Y., Antonelli, M., Tinker, A., & Liu, W. (2023) · Gerontechnology · doi:10.4017/gt.2023.22.2.ree.08 · Cited by 9
The importance of social behavior in nonhuman primate studies of aging: A mini-review
Rothwell, E. S., Carp, S. B., & Bliss‐Moreau, E. (2023) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105422 · Cited by 13
Exploring the impacts of COVID-19 related social distancing on loneliness, psychological needs and symptomatology
Faustino, B., Vasco, A. B., Delgado, J., Farinha‐Fernandes, A., & Guerreiro, J. C. (2021) · Research in Psychotherapy Psychopathology Process and Outcome · doi:10.4081/ripppo.2020.492 · Cited by 13
“Thus, loneliness may be an emerging public health problem (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
Disability and loneliness in nine countries of the former Soviet Union
Stickley, A., Kondo, N., Richardson, E., Leinsalu, M., Waldman, K. E., Oh, H. Y., Inoue, Y., Shakespeare, T., & McKee, M. (2021) · Disability and health journal · doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101123 · Cited by 11
How the home features in young adults’ representations of loneliness: The impact of COVID‐19
Sawyer, I., Fardghassemi, S., & Joffé, H. (2022) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12540 · Cited by 12
“An estimated one- third of individuals living in developed countries are affected by this condition (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
Impact of loneliness on health‐related factors in Australia during the COVID ‐19 pandemic: A retrospective study
Vasan, S., Lambert, É., Eikelis, N., & Lim, M. H. (2022) · Health & Social Care in the Community · doi:10.1111/hsc.13948 · Cited by 12
Insights from an early-stage development mixed methods study on arts-based interventions for older adults following hospitalisation
Clifford, A. M., Shanahan, J., Moss, H., Cleary, T., Senter, M. B., O'Hagan, E., Glynn, L. G., O’Neill, D. J., Watts, M., & Bhriain, O. N. (2021) · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102745 · Cited by 10
Loneliness and Emancipation: A Multilevel Analysis of the Connection between Gender Inequality, Loneliness, and Social Isolation in the ISSP 2017
Schobin, J. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19127428 · Cited by 8
“This hypothesis is based on known facts; individuals in modern societies increasingly have fewer children, marry less often, divorce more frequently, are more likely to live alone, and they are older on average [6].”
Background
Loneliness and its correlates among older adults living with HIV: A multicenter cross-sectional study
Wang, B., Peng, X., Liang, B., Fu, L., Shi, T., Li, X., Tian, T., Xiao, X., Wang, Y., Ouyang, L., et al. (2023) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.130 · Cited by 10
Health and wellbeing outcomes associated with loneliness for people with disability: a scoping review
Bailie, J., Bishop, G. M., Badland, H. M., Emerson, E., Aitken, Z., Stancliffe, R. J., Ekanayake, K., & Llewellyn, G. M. (2023) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-023-17101-9 · Cited by 10
“General population studies have shown that loneliness is associated with multiple adverse health outcomes, including a negative impact on mental health [6, 14–17], morbidity [17–19] and mortality [20, 21].”
Background
Older Adults’ Experiences of Using Strategies to Maintain and Foster Social Participation: A Systematic Review with Metasynthesis of Qualitative Studies
Körlof, L., Nyman, A., Isaksson, G., & Larsson, E. (2024) · Health & Social Care in the Community · doi:10.1155/2024/7877128 · Cited by 10
“Tis is a growing public health concern in the aging population globally [17, 18].”
Background
Exploration of subgroups and predictors of loneliness among older adults in rural China: A latent profile analysis
Wang, Y., Li, S., Zou, X., Ni, Y., Xu, L., Liao, S., Cao, L., Bao, J., Li, Y., & Xi, Y. (2024) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-024-04812-w · Cited by 12
“According to a report in the Lancet, loneliness has become a serious public health issue [3].”
Background
Psychological Mediators of Reduced Distress: Preregistered Analyses From a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-Based Well-Being Training
Hirshberg, M. J., Dahl, C. J., Bolt, D. M., Davidson, R. J., & Goldberg, S. B. (2024) · Clinical Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/21677026241233262 · Cited by 13
“Loneliness is a growing, global public-health issue (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Factors associated with loneliness in middle-aged and older patients with breast cancer
Merdawati, L., Lin, H., Wang, Y., Lin, K., & Huang, H. (2024) · Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.apjon.2024.100444 · Cited by 10
“2 Unemployment, cancer symptoms (e.g., pain and fatigue), cognitive decline, and low social support increase the risk of loneliness in patients with cancer.”
Background
The impact of loneliness on depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: a two-wave follow-up study
Yan, L., Ding, X., Gan, Y., Wang, N., Wu, J., & Duan, H. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-05898-6 · Cited by 10
Loneliness corresponds with neural representations and language use that deviate from shared cultural perceptions
Broom, T. W., Iyer, S., Courtney, A. L., & Meyer, M. L. (2024) · Communications Psychology · doi:10.1038/s44271-024-00088-3 · Cited by 11
“It is associated with a host of negative outcomes, including increasedriskofdepressionandmortality 55,61 .”
Background
Adverse childhood experiences and cognitive function in later life: the sequential mediating roles of education level and adult loneliness
Deng, X., Xie, M., Wang, Y., Cai, J. C., Zou, M., & Wang, Q. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1409966 · Cited by 11
“Loneliness, characterized as the perception of social isolation or the subjective feeling of being alone (19), represents a significant public health concern that often goes unrecognized or trivialized (20).”
Background
What Is Social Connection in the Context of Human Need: An Interdisciplinary Literature Review
Bauer, K. L., Johnson-Koenke, R. A., & Fort, M. P. (2025) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph22030363 · Cited by 13
“Loneliness is often defined as a discrepancy in overall relationship qualities that are undesired and the feeling of being alone, even if someone is not socially isolated [55,59–61].”
Does nature make us less lonely? Analysis in Bulgaria's five largest cities
Markevych, I., Baumbach, C., Helbich, M., Burov, A., Dimitrova, D., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., & Dzhambov, A. M. (2025) · Health & Place · doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103509 · Cited by 11
Sustained restorative dialogue as a means of understanding and preventing sexually harmful behavior on university campuses
Pointer, L., & Giles-Mitson, A. (2019) · Contemporary Justice Review · doi:10.1080/10282580.2019.1700467 · Cited by 13
“Loneliness, ‘a condition in which an individual perceives himself or herself to be socially isolated even when among other people’ (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018, p. 426) has been called a major public health problem (Murthy, 2017).”
Background
Preserving Engagement, Nurturing Resilience
Kusz, H., & Ahmad, A. (2020) · Clinics in Geriatric Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.cger.2020.06.004 · Cited by 11
OVERCOMING SOCIAL ISOLATION WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AMONG AGEING POPULATIONS DURING COVID-19
Reine, I., Ivanovs, A., Mieriņa, I., Gehtmane-Hofmane, I., & Koroļeva, I. (2021) · SOCIETY INTEGRATION EDUCATION Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference · doi:10.17770/sie2021vol4.6356 · Cited by 10
From Three-Months to Five-Years: Sustaining Long-Term Benefits of Endovascular Therapy for Ischemic Stroke
Ganesh, A., Ospel, J. M., Marko, M., van Zwam, W. H., Roos, Y. B. W. E. M., Majoie, C. B. L. M., & Goyal, M. (2021) · Frontiers in Neurology · doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.713738 · Cited by 10
“Compounded by changing family and social dynamics, social isolation is a major public health issue (138) and results in worse post-stroke outcomes (139, 140).”
Background
Student–senior isolation prevention partnership: a Canada-wide programme to mitigate social exclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic
Naidu, S. C., Persaud, M., Sheikhan, N. Y., Sem, G., O’Driscoll, V., Diamond, L., Pitch, N., Dhingra, N. K., Nowak, D. A., & Kuluski, K. (2021) · Health Promotion International · doi:10.1093/heapro/daab118 · Cited by 10
“der abuse, cognitive impairment, heart attacks and poor mental health, among other consequences in older adults (Cacioppo et al., 2011; Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; Armitage and Nellums, 2020; Brooke and Jackson, 2020; Douglas, 2020; Li and Huynh, 2020).”
Background
Why Not Lonely? A Longitudinal Study of Factors Related to Loneliness and Non-Loneliness in Different Age Groups Among People in the Second Part of Life
Nicolaisen, M., Pripp, A. H., & Thorsen, K. (2022) · The International Journal of Aging and Human Development · doi:10.1177/00914150221112292 · Cited by 11
“Concern about loneliness and social isolation in modern society is growing, and loneliness has been addressed as a serious public health issue (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015; WHO, 2021).”
Background
Migraine Monitoring in the Time of COVID-19: Triggers and Protectors During a Pandemic
di Cola, F. S., Caratozzolo, S., Cesare, M. D., Liberini, P., Rao, R., & Padovani, A. (2021) · Pain Medicine · doi:10.1093/pm/pnab202 · Cited by 10
Grandparenting, filial piety, and well-being of Chinese-American older adults
Kim, J. H. (2021) · Current Sociology · doi:10.1177/00113921211059221 · Cited by 10
“It is a risk factor for depression among older adults, while triggering higher mortality rates (Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; Cacioppo et al., 2006; Ernst and Cacioppo, 1999).”
Background
Pre-pandemic Predictors of Loneliness in Adult Men During COVID-19
Mansour, K. A., Greenwood, C. J., Biden, E. J., Francis, L. M., Olsson, C. A., & Macdonald, J. A. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.775588 · Cited by 12
“It is characterized by a perceived lack of social support and a sense of social disconnection (3, 4) and is often stigmatized or trivialized (5).”
Background
Behavioral and cardiovascular consequences of disrupted oxytocin communication in cohabitating pairs of male and female prairie voles
Grippo, A. J., McNeal, N., Watanasriyakul, W. T., Cacioppo, S., Scotti, M. L., & Dagner, A. (2019) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2019.1572031 · Cited by 10
“…and perceived loneliness influence mood and emotion, stresscoping abilities, and cardiovascular function, contributing to premature mortality (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018; Cacioppo, Hughes, Waite, Hawkley, & Thisted, 2006; Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2012; Cacioppo, Grippo, London, Goossens, &…”
BackgroundResultInfluentialSelf-citation
A call for better research and resources for understanding and combatting youth loneliness: integrating the perspectives of young people and researchers
Alam, I., Khayri, E., Podger, T. A. B., Aspinall, C., Fuhrmann, D., & Lau, J. Y. F. (2022) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-022-02125-0 · Cited by 9
Loneliness and Its Predictors in Rare Versus Common Chronic Illnesses
Nicoloro‐SantaBarbara, J. M., & Lobel, M. (2023) · International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12529-023-10231-9 · Cited by 9
“Loneliness is a growing public health concern, affecting approximately a third of people in industrialized countries [1], particularly those affected by physical or mental illness [2, 3].”
The Social Journal: Investigating Technology to Support and Reflect on Social Interactions
Sakel, S., Blenk, T., Schmidt, A., & Haliburton, L. (2024) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3613904.3642411 · Cited by 13
Comparing Loneliness, Social Inactivity, and Social Isolation: Associations with Health-Related Quality of Life and Mortality among Home-Dwelling Older Adults
Rautiainen, L. J., Jansson, A. H., Knuutila, M. T., Aalto, U. L., Kolster, A., Kautiainen, H., Strandberg, T. E., & Pitkälä, K. H. (2024) · Gerontology · doi:10.1159/000540345 · Cited by 11
Depressive symptoms, loneliness and social support in healthcare employees: does the source of support matter?
Kulari, G., & de Castro, M. P. (2024) · Journal of Public Mental Health · doi:10.1108/jpmh-06-2024-0066 · Cited by 11
Emerging socioeconomic correlates of loneliness. Evidence from the Barcelona Health Survey 2021
Mangot‐Sala, L., Bartoll, X., Sánchez, E., Cortés-Albaladejo, M., Liefbroer, A. C., & Pérez, K. (2024) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-024-02789-w · Cited by 11
“Loneliness is usually defined as a discrepancy between the desired and the actual quality and quantity of social connections an individual has [1, 2].”
Bidirectional Relationships between Peer Victimization, Loneliness and Solitude in Adolescence: A Systematic Review
González-Abaurrea, E., González‐Cabrera, J. M., Ortega-Barón, J., Escortell, R., & Machimbarrena, J. M. (2025) · Adolescent Research Review · doi:10.1007/s40894-025-00266-2 · Cited by 13
Anticipation and Motivation as Predictors of Leisure and Social Enjoyment and Engagement in Young People With Depression Symptoms: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study
Sahni, A., & McCabe, C. (2025) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/74427 · Cited by 13
“Additionally, loneliness not only increases depression risk [7,8] but also predicts future antidepressant use [9] underscoring the urgent need for interventions that promote sustained participation in mood-boosting activities [10-14].”
Changes in daily living dependency and incident depressive symptoms among older individuals: findings from four prospective cohort studies
Yang, J., Song, G., Zhang, M., Liu, H., & Hou, M. (2025) · BMJ Mental Health · doi:10.1136/bmjment-2025-301749 · Cited by 9
“22 Moreover, increased dependence on caregivers can generate psychological strain for both parties, leading to caregiver burden and increased interpersonal stress, which further impacts mental health.”
Conceptualizing Public Space Using a Multiple Sorting Task–Exploring the Links between Loneliness and Public Space
Jing, J., Canter, D. V., & Haas, T. (2019) · Urban Science · doi:10.3390/urbansci3040107 · Cited by 9
Night Owls and Lone Wolves
Norbury, R. (2021) · Biological Rhythm Research · doi:10.1080/09291016.2021.2014083 · Cited by 9
“Social connectedness is strongly related to health and well-being and a lack of social connectedness has been observed to contribute to a number of physical and psychiatric disorders including depression (Cacioppo and Cacioppo 2018).”
Background
Transforming Ageing in Community
Greig, J., Rehman, S. U., Ulhaq, A., Dresser, G., & Burmeister, O. K. (2019) · International Conference on Communities and Technologies (C&T) · doi:10.1145/3328320.3328380 · Cited by 9
“Loneliness, particularly within the ageing population, contributes to the likelihood of depression, functional decline, early entry to hospitalisation and care, and higher levels of dependency [22, 54].”
Background
Prevalence and associated factors of influenza vaccination coverage in Korean adults with cardiovascular disease
Kim, E. Y., Ko, J. H., Kim, Y. S., & Oh, P. C. (2020) · Medicine · doi:10.1097/md.0000000000018540 · Cited by 9
Publications in Psychology Related to the COVID-19: A Bibliometric Analysis
Alvarez, D. S., Galindo-Caballero, O. J., & Zambrano, D. (2022) · psicología desde el caribe · doi:10.14482/psdc.38.1.616.24 · Cited by 10
Enhancing social and individual sustainability in urban co-living
Mellner, C., Niemi, M., Pöllänen, E., & Osika, W. (2021) · International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis · doi:10.1108/ijhma-09-2020-0117 · Cited by 14
La soledad en los adolescentes y sus correlaciones con las fortalezas psicológicas y el abuso de las redes sociales
Sanmartín, P. G. (2021) · Revista sobre la infancia y la adolescencia · doi:10.4995/reinad.2021.14447 · Cited by 9
Can Virtual Assistants Perform Cognitive Assessment in Older Adults? A Review
Moret‐Tatay, C., Iborra-Marmolejo, I., Jorques-Infante, M. J., Esteve‐Rodrigo, J. V., Schwanke, C. H. A., & Irigaray, T. Q. (2021) · Medicina · doi:10.3390/medicina57121310 · Cited by 9
“Furthermore, this problem is also associated with premature mortality [3], higher symptoms of depression [4], and cognitive decline [5].”
Background
Validation of the Portuguese version of the social isolation scale with a sample of community-dwelling older adults
Tavares, J., Faria, A., Gonçalves, D., Mendes, D. A., Silva, S., & de Sousa, L. X. M. (2023) · International Journal of Nursing Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2023.03.002 · Cited by 11
“Research has shown that one in every 12 older adults suffers severe consequences from SI in terms of health and quality of life [17].”
Background
Prevalence and correlates of loneliness in India: A systematic reviewPreprint
Hossain, M. M., Purohit, N., Khan, N., McKyer, E. L. J., Ma, P., Bhattacharya, S., & Pawar, P. P. (2020) · doi:10.31124/advance.11533026 · Cited by 9
Association of loneliness and social isolation with mental disorders among medical residents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-center cross-sectional study
Wei, Y., Tang, J., Zhao, J., Liang, J., Li, Z., & Bai, S. (2023) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115233 · Cited by 11
“It is now being highlighted as a public health problem (Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2017), with millions of people suffering daily (Steffick, 2000).”
Getting by with a little help from friends and family: mediation model between loneliness and depressive symptoms amongst Portuguese students
Kulari, G. (2024) · Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education · doi:10.1108/jarhe-11-2023-0547 · Cited by 12
Secular trends in risk factors for adolescent anxiety and depression symptoms: the Young-HUNT studies 1995–2019, Norway
Krokstad, M. A., Sund, E. R., Rangul, V., Bauman, A. E., Olsson, C. A., & Bjerkeset, O. A. (2024) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-024-02373-2 · Cited by 11
“Feeling of loneliness is now considered a public health problem [59], and prevalences range between 9 and 14% worldwide [60].”
Do middle-aged and older people underreport loneliness? experimental evidence from the Netherlands
van den Broek, T., Lam, J., & Potente, C. (2024) · European Journal of Ageing · doi:10.1007/s10433-024-00826-w · Cited by 9
“In addition, the association of loneliness with heightened risks of illness and mortality has been well-established (Courtin & Knapp 2017; Schutter et al. 2022), leading to an increasing recognition of loneliness as a significant public health concern (Cacioppo & Cacioppo 2018).”
Loneliness trajectories and predictors in Spain: Results from the Spanish longitudinal study on aging and health (Edad con Salud)
Dolz-del-Castellar, B., de la Torre‐Luque, A., Castelletti, C., Francia, L., Rodríguez-Prada, C., Miret, M., Domènech‐Abella, J., Gabarrell‐Pascuet, A., Olaya, B., Haro, J. M., et al. (2025) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.084 · Cited by 10
An Overview of Reviews on Telemedicine and Telehealth in Dementia Care: Mixed Methods Synthesis
do Nascimento, I. J. B., Abdulazeem, H. M., Weerasekara, I., Sharifan, A., Bianco, V. G., Kularathne, I., Cunningham, C., Sathian, B., Deeken, G., Østengaard, L., et al. (2025) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/75266 · Cited by 9
“Social isolation and loneliness have been commonly classified as the century’s most damaging and prevalent human condition ever reported [143,144].”
A call for better research and resources for understanding and combatting youth loneliness: integrating the perspectives of young people and researchers
Alam, I., Khayri, E., Podger, T. A. B., Aspinall, C., Fuhrmann, D., & Lau, J. Y. F. (2023) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-022-02127-y · Cited by 8
Changes in Loneliness, BDNF, and Biological Aging Predict Trajectories in a Blood-Based Epigenetic Measure of Cortical Aging: A Study of Older Black Americans
Simons, R. L., Ong, M. L., Lei, M., Beach, S. R. H., Zhang, Y., Philibert, R. A., & Mielke, M. M. (2023) · Genes · doi:10.3390/genes14040842 · Cited by 8
“Human beings have a deeply rooted need for social connection to others [20].”
Background
Subjective well-being and its impact on online game addiction
Chang, H. H. (2023) · World Leisure Journal · doi:10.1080/16078055.2023.2204676 · Cited by 8
“Another study investigated the excessive usage of social media by researching people who have problems feeling lonely, which is considered a growing public health problem in industrialized countries (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Background
The influence of meaning in life on psychological distress among men: A serial multiple mediation model involving resilience and loneliness
Brown, T. L., Oliffe, J. L., Kealy, D., Rice, S., Seidler, Z. E., & Ogrodniczuk, J. S. (2023) · Current Research in Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.crbeha.2023.100114 · Cited by 8
Association Between Cyberbullying Victimization and Loneliness Among Adolescents
Shukla, A., & Chouhan, V. S. (2023) · International Journal of Cyber Behavior Psychology and Learning · doi:10.4018/ijcbpl.330586 · Cited by 10
Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative perspective
Shamir, M. M., Zychlinski, E., & Kagan, M. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293189 · Cited by 12
Understanding the Experiences of COVID-19 Public Health Measures and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study Among Older Adults in Quebec, Canada
Karmann, J., Handlovsky, I., Moullec, G., Frohlich, K. L., Hébert, R., & Ferlatte, O. (2024) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/10497323241232928 · Cited by 8
“Because loneliness was already a major public health issue among older adults prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018), signi ﬁ cant concerns were raised that con ﬁ nement and social distancing measures would lead to negative mental health consequences among this population…”
Background
The “central” importance of loneliness in mental health: A network psychometric study
Pascalidis, J., & Bathelt, J. (2024) · International Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1002/ijop.13133 · Cited by 10
The effect of Transcendental Meditation on self-esteem, self-efficacy, and gratitude, for increasing empowerment of female youth in Uganda
Goldstein, L., Smith, A., Romagnoli, D. A., & Katergi, E. (2024) · Health Care For Women International · doi:10.1080/07399332.2024.2358789 · Cited by 8
“Social connection is associated with a host of psychological and physical health benefits (Thoits, 2011; Uchino, 2006), and social isolation is associated with ill health (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018).”
Emerging from COVID-19: prioritising the burden of loneliness in older people
Armitage, R. C., & Nellums, L. B. (2020) · British Journal of General Practice · doi:10.3399/bjgp20x711869 · Cited by 8
The Cost Effectiveness of Mental Health Treatment in the Lifetime of Older Adults with HIV in New York City: A Markov Approach
DelaCruz, J. J., Brennan‐Ing, M., Kakolyris, A., & Martínez, O. (2020) · PharmacoEconomics - Open · doi:10.1007/s41669-020-00238-3 · Cited by 8
Optimizing Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy Using a Neural Intelligent Agent-Based Platform
Abdessalem, H. B., Byrns, A., & Frasson, C. (2021) · International Journal of Intelligence Science · doi:10.4236/ijis.2021.112006 · Cited by 8
Ah, Look at All the Lonely People..... Will Social Psychiatry Please Stand up for Ministering to Loneliness?
Basu, D. (2021) · World Social Psychiatry · doi:10.4103/wsp.wsp_14_21 · Cited by 8
Friendship and Loneliness: A Prototype Roadmap for Health System Action
Hong, J. H., Yeh, C. S., Sandy, L. G., Fellows, A., Martin, D. C., Shaeffer, J. A., Tkatch, R., Parker, K., & Kim, E. S. (2022) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2022.01.017 · Cited by 8

Authors: Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S.
Affiliations: University of Chicago (US)
Corresponding author: Cacioppo, John T
ORCID: Cacioppo, John T
Cacioppo, Stephanie
Venue: The Lancet
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2018-02
Volume: 391
Issue: 10119
Pages: 426
ISSN: 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
0140-6736
DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(18)30142-9
PMC: PMC6530780
OpenAlex: W2787145468
Cited by: 897
References: 7
Citations by year: 2026: 107 · 2025: 155 · 2024: 134 · 2023: 131 · 2022: 117 · 2021: 126 · 2020: 94 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 5
FWCI: 67.73
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: The Lancet (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: National Institute on Aging (R01AG033590)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords: loneliness, social isolation, premature mortality, depression, irritability, self-centeredness, social contagion, socioeconomic factors
MeSH terms: Humans, Loneliness, Public Health, Social Isolation

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