The major health implications of social connection
Abstract
The influence of social relationships extends beyond emotional well-being to influence long-term physical-health outcomes, including mortality risk. Despite the varied measurement approaches used to examine social relationships within the health literature, the data can be synthesized using social connection as an organizing framework. This review discusses cumulative scientific evidence of links between various aspects of social connection and mortality, as well as supporting evidence for links with morbidity and plausible mechanisms. This evidence fulfills the criteria outlined in the Bradford Hill guidelines for establishing causality. Despite strong evidence currently available, several gaps remain and will need to be addressed if society is to rise to the challenge of developing effective interventions to reduce risk associated with social disconnection. This evidence has important broader implications for medical practice and public health.
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Social rejection, exclusion, and isolation are well-known drivers of biological stress reactivity and downstream health outcomes.
“Social rejection, exclusion, and isolation are themselves well-known drivers of biological stress reactivity and downstream health outcomes (Holt-Lunstad, 2021).”
From A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Informed Diabetes Prevention Program Reduces Body Shame and Distress. (2025) · cites this paper as Holt-Lunstad, 2021
There is robust evidence linking social connectedness or lack thereof to long-term health outcomes, including increased risk for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and dementia, as well as mortality from all causes.
“There is robust evidence linking social connectedness or lack thereof to long-term health outcomes (125), including increased risk for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and stroke (126), type 2 diabetes, and dementia (127), as well as mortality from all causes (128).”
From The impact of generative artificial intelligence on socioeconomic inequalities and policy making (2024) · cites this paper as [125]
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- Authors
- Holt-Lunstad, J.
- Affiliations
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University
- Venue
- Current Directions in Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2021-06
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 251-259
- ISSN
- 0963-7214 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8721
- OpenAlex
- W3175046625
- Cited by
- 273
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 59 · 2025: 86 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 9
- FWCI
- 17.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Directions in Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- social connectedness, interpersonal relationships, mortality risk, morbidity, social disconnection, social determinants of health, causal mechanisms, Bradford Hill criteria, social isolation, public health interventions
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