“High rates of social isolation and loneliness worldwide have serious consequences for health and well-being. People who lack close social connections are at increased risk of stroke, anxiety, dementia, depression, suicide, and many other diseases,” the World Health Organization said in 2023, when it announced the creation of a Commission on Social Connection. On June 24, a study led by Harvard University and published in the journal eClinicalMedicine also looked at the issue and delivered some surprising revelations.
“Loneliness is increasingly considered a major public health problem. Our results explain why,” introduces lead author of the research, Yenee Soh. “Particularly when chronic, our study indicates that loneliness could play a crucial role in the incidence of stroke, already one of the leading causes of long-term disability and mortality worldwide,” continues the expert.
According to research from Harvard University, “chronic loneliness significantly increases the risk of stroke.” Theoretically, the height of this risk would be comparable to that which a person takes by smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Concretely, the results of this research highlight a 56% increase in the risk of stroke in individuals aged 50 and over suffering from chronic loneliness, compared to those not feeling this feeling of isolation.
