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Cited by 488Health disparities and outcomesCardiac Health and Mental HealthAging and Gerontology Research

Loneliness is a unique predictor of age-related differences in systolic blood pressure.

Hawkley, Louise C., Masi, Christopher M., Berry, Jarett D., Cacioppo, John T.·2006·Psychology and Aging
DOI 10.1037/0882-7974.21.1.152
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Abstract

A population-based sample of Caucasians, African Americans, and Latino Americans, 50-68 years of age (M = 57.5), from Cook County, Illinois (N = 229), was tested to examine how loneliness and co-occurring psychosocial factors (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social support, and hostility) were related to indices of cardiovascular and endocrine functioning. Extending prior research, the authors found that loneliness was associated with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and age-related increases in SBP, net of demographic variables, health behavior variables, and the remaining psychosocial factors. Loneliness was not associated with differences in autonomic or endocrine functioning. Although the results are limited by the cross-sectional methods used, they are consistent with the hypothesis that cardiovascular disease contributes to increased morbidity and mortality among lonely individuals.

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  • Loneliness predicts reduced physical activity and increased blood pressure in older adults.

    “Loneliness predicts reduced physical activity (Hawkley et al., 2009) and increased blood pressure in older adults (Hawkley et al., 2009, 2006).”

    From Maladaptive autonomic regulation in PTSD accelerates physiological aging (2015) · cites this paper as Hawkley et al., 2006

  • Perceived social isolation predicts greater vascular resistance, higher blood pressure, morning cortisol rise, poorer sleep, and sedentary lifestyles beyond what objective isolation predicts.

    “Beyond what is predicted by objective isolation, perceived isolation predicts greater vascular resistance,26 elevated blood pressure,27,28 morning rise in cortisol,29 less salubrious sleep,28,30 and sedentary lifestyles.31”

    From Social isolation (2011) · cites this paper as [27]

  • Perceived isolation, or loneliness, is associated with worse physical and mental health and higher mortality.

    “even just the perception of isolation (colloquially referred to as loneliness) is associated with poor physical and mental health10,11 and higher mortality rates6,8,12,13.”

    From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Subjective or perceived isolation is a stronger predictor of poor health and emotional state in humans than objective isolation.

    “There is mounting support for the notion that subjective or “perceived” isolation (the quality of social relationships) is a stronger predictor of poor health and emotional state in humans than objective isolation (the number/frequency of social contacts)11,62,146.”

    From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Loneliness, independent of social network size, is associated with increased blood pressure, higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, emphysema, Alzheimer's disease, and poor health habits from lack of self-control.

    “Consistent with this, loneliness—independent of social network size—is associated with higher mortality13,193 increased blood pressure11,194, higher rate of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, emphysema195, and Alzheimer’s disease196, along with poor health habits stemming from a lack of self-control197,198.”

    From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [11]

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Authors
Hawkley, L. C., Masi, C. M., Berry, J. D., & Cacioppo, J. T.
Affiliations
University of Chicago (US)
ORCID
Venue
Psychology and Aging
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2006-03
Volume
21
Issue
1
Pages
152-164
ISSN
  • 0882-7974 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1498
DOI
10.1037/0882-7974.21.1.152
OpenAlex
W2122524132
Cited by
488
References
72
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 30
FWCI
13.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychology and Aging (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Aging (PO1 AG18911)
  • Templeton Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Keywords
loneliness, systolic blood pressure, age-related blood pressure increase, cardiovascular risk, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social support, hostility, autonomic function, endocrine function, psychosocial factors, older adults, racial and ethnic differences
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Aged, Blood Pressure, Catecholamines, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Creatinine, Demography, Depression, Electrocardiography, Female, Hostility, Humans, Hypertension, Loneliness, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Support, Stress, Psychological

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