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Economic Aspects of Loneliness in Australia

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  • Claryn S. J. Kung
  • Johannes S. Kunz
  • Michael A. Shields

Abstract

We highlight the problem of loneliness, and argue that it is not only a public health issue but also an economic problem. We provide a brief review of findings from the key literature on the associations between loneliness, mental and physical health, and healthcare costs; and then present some evidence on its trends, the extent of socioeconomic inequalities and its links with health and healthcare usage, in Australia. We hope to encourage further economics research on loneliness, and related issues of social isolation and poor social support, to aid the design of policies and interventions to reduce loneliness.

Suggested Citation

  • Claryn S. J. Kung & Johannes S. Kunz & Michael A. Shields, 2021. "Economic Aspects of Loneliness in Australia," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(1), pages 147-163, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecr:v:54:y:2021:i:1:p:147-163
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8462.12414
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    5. Verena H Menec & Nancy E Newall & Corey S Mackenzie & Shahin Shooshtari & Scott Nowicki, 2019. "Examining individual and geographic factors associated with social isolation and loneliness using Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-18, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth Casabianca & Matija Kovacic, 2022. "Loneliness and health among the elderly.The role of cultural heritage and relationship quality," Working Papers 2022:01, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    2. Michele Brunetti & Matteo Gomellini & Paolo Croce & paolo Piselli, 2023. "Dynamics of temperatures and economic activity in Italy: a long-term analysis," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 787, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    3. Kung, Claryn S.J. & Pudney, Stephen E. & Shields, Michael A., 2022. "Economic gradients in loneliness, social isolation and social support: Evidence from the UK Biobank," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    4. Kung, Claryn S.J. & Kunz, Johannes S. & Shields, Michael A., 2023. "COVID-19 lockdowns and changes in loneliness among young people in the U.K," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    5. Sagari R. Ramdas, 2021. "Towards Food Sovereignty: Dismantling the Capitalist Brahminic-Patriarchal Food Farming Regime," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 64(3), pages 276-281, December.
    6. Angelina Gurunathan & Ravichandran Moorthy, 2021. "Riding the Indo-Pacific Wave: India–ASEAN Partnership Sans RCEP," India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, , vol. 77(4), pages 560-578, December.
    7. Motamarri, Saradhi & Akter, Shahriar & Hossain, Md Afnan & Dwivedi, Yogesh K, 2022. "How does remote analytics empowerment capability payoff in the emerging industrial revolution?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1163-1174.

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