These elderly individuals face higher risk of early death

Loneliness and social isolation among older adults can have serious health consequences. This is shown in a new study based on data from the extensive NorLAG survey conducted at OsloMet.

“This highlights the importance of strengthening ties with family and friends and creating social meeting places in later life,” says Marja Aartsen.

She is a researcher at NOVA – Norwegian Social Research at OsloMet.

In the study, researchers followed nearly 10,000 Norwegians over a period of 20 years.

Risk of early death

Findings show that increased social isolation raises the risk of early death by approximately 15 per cent. Social isolation is defined as living without a partner or having infrequent contact with family and friends.

The research accounted for a range of factors, including age, income, education, and physical and mental health, to ensure reliable conclusions.

“Although both loneliness and social isolation increase mortality risk for men and women, our results show that social isolation plays a more significant role,” says Aartsen.

According to the researcher, the biggest driver of increased mortality risk is the lack of a partner or infrequent contact with one's children. This applies to both men and women.

Loneliness and social isolation work differently

The researchers emphasise that social isolation and loneliness are distinct but related phenomena. 

Social isolation refers to a lack of contact with others, while loneliness is a subjective feeling of inadequate social relationships.

Both can be harmful to health, but they operate in different ways.

Increased risk of death for lonely men

In the study, researchers also examined how men and women experience and report loneliness. 

They found that loneliness did not show a clear link to increased motality when measured using an indirect question that avoided using the word 'lonely.'

However, men who reported feeling lonely sometimes or often had a significantly higher risk of dying during the follow-up period.

The risk increased by as much as 20 per cent. For women, no such link was found.

“This gender difference may stem from loneliness being more stigmatised for men, who might only report it when it is particularly severe,” says Aartsen.

She explains that men are less likely to report loneliness in surveys than women.

“But when they do, our results suggest their loneliness is profound and may have serious consequences,” she says.

Social ties protect health

The study confirms that social relationships are crucial for the longevity of older adults. 

Previous research has long indicated that a lack of social support negatively affects both mental and physical health. 

Loneliness and isolation can increase the risk of conditions such as heart disease, depression, and even cognitive decline.

“We also know that partners and adult children provide much of the informal care for older adults in Norway, acting as a safety net when help is needed. This may further explain the importance of these relationships for mortality,” says Aartsen.

She explains that while many older adults maintain connections with family and friends, others experience the loss of a partner, siblings, or friends in old age.

"Our findings underscore the need to strengthen social bonds and communities among older adults, especially for those without a partner or children,” says co-author and NOVA researcher Hanna Vangen.

A growing problem after the pandemic

The NorLAG study is one of the largest population studies on ageing in Norway. Researchers used national registry data to track mortality among participants. The findings are based on three rounds of data collection in 2002, 2007, and 2017.

The study comes at a time when loneliness among older adults has received increased attention, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Many older adults experienced isolation during lockdowns, and it remains unclear how the pandemic will affect loneliness in the long term,” says Vangen.

The researchers point out that the findings of this study with older Norwegians are not unique. Studies from other countries also find that loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of mortality.

However, the conclusions are slightly inconsistent. Some find that loneliness poses a greater risk on mortality, while others believe that social isolation is more detrimental.

“In our study, we have a very long follow-up, 20 years, which increases chances to find long term impacts. We also consider potential changes in loneliness and social isolation during follow-up that other studies rarely do, which may also have led to some differences in the outcomes,” says Aartsen.

Social initiatives can save lives

The researchers argue that society must take action to reduce loneliness and social isolation among older adults.

“This is about more than just improving well-being. Social ties can save lives. It’s wise to invest in building and maintaining a large, diverse network throughout life. Facilitating meeting places and activities for older adults, as well as sustaining connections with family and friends, can significantly enhance life expectancy and improve quality of life,” says Vangen.

Reference:

Aartsen et al. The unique and synergistic effects of social isolation and loneliness on 20-years mortality risks in older men and women, Frontiers in Public Health, 2024. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1432701

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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