Associations of loneliness and social isolation with physical and mental health among adolescents and young adults
Abstract
Aims: The present study investigates whether loneliness and social isolation are associated with poor physical and mental health among adolescents and young adults, and whether age and gender play a role in the associations of loneliness and social isolation with mental and physical health. Methods: This study used cross-sectional self-report data from the 2017 Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys titled ‘How are you?’ ( N = 19,890, M = 22.6 years). Results: Logistic regression analyses showed that loneliness and social isolation were independently associated with poor physical and mental health. Loneliness was associated with increased odds of asthma, migraine, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, slipped disc/back pain, tinnitus, long-term mental illness, depressive symptomatology, anxiety symptomatology and alcohol problems. Social isolation was associated with decreased odds of having migraine, osteoarthritis and alcohol problems, and an increased risk of long-term mental illness and depressive symptomatology. Small age and gender differences were detected. Conclusions: In adolescents and young adults, loneliness and social isolation were associated with poor mental health and loneliness with poor physical health. These findings highlight the need for targeted prevention and intervention initiatives to alleviate loneliness and social isolation.
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Previous studies have also spotlighted the close relationships between loneliness and externalizing problems, including hyperactivity, conduct problems and violent acts.
“Previous studies have also spotlighted the close relationships between loneliness and externalizing problems, including hyperactivity, conduct problems and violent acts.”
From A Longitudinal Study of Loneliness Before the End of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trajectories, Predictors, and Impact on Chinese Adolescent Mental Health (2024) · cites this paper as [44]
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- Authors
- Christiansen, J., Qualter, P., Friis, K., Pedersen, S., Lund, R., Andersen, C., Bekker-Jeppesen, M., & Lasgaard, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Southern Denmark (DK)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Central Denmark Region (DK)
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Center for Clinical Research and Prevention (DK)
- Venue
- Perspectives in Public Health
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2021-06-19
- Volume
- 141
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 226-236
- ISSN
- 1757-9139 (ISSN-L)
- 1757-9147
- OpenAlex
- W3173641832
- Cited by
- 241
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 53 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 69 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 17.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Perspectives in Public Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion)
- University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Keywords
- loneliness, social isolation, adolescents, young adults, physical health, mental health, depressive symptoms, anxiety, alcohol problems, long-term mental illness, age differences, gender differences, chronic disease
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Status, Humans, Loneliness, Social Isolation, Young Adult
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