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A prospective study of social isolation, loneliness, and mortality in Finland

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  • Tanskanen, J.
  • Anttila, T.

Abstract

Objectives. To estimate the simultaneous effects of social isolation and loneliness on mortality. Methods. We analyzed a representative Finnish sample (n = 8650) from the crosssectional Living Conditions Survey of 1994, with a 17-year follow-up period (1995-2011), by using Cox regression models adjusted for several possible confounding variables. We examined the possible nonlinear threshold effect of social isolation on mortality. Results. The analyses revealed that social isolation predicted mortality even after we controlled for loneliness and control variables. The connection between social isolation and mortality was linear in nature and there was no synergistic effect between social isolation and loneliness. The effect of loneliness became nonsignificant when studied simultaneously with social isolation. Conclusions. This study reveals strong evidence for an adverse effect of social isolation on mortality. Social isolation and loneliness seem to have distinct pathways to mortality and health.The results imply that the risk of mortality exists along a continuum, affecting not only those who experience extreme social isolation, but also those who suffer from mild to progressively increasing intensity of isolation.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanskanen, J. & Anttila, T., 2016. "A prospective study of social isolation, loneliness, and mortality in Finland," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(11), pages 2042-2048.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303431_8
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303431
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    Cited by:

    1. Cheng, Grand H.-L. & Sung, Pildoo & Chan, Angelique & Ma, Stefan & Malhotra, Rahul, 2022. "Transitions between social network profiles and their relation with all-cause mortality among older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    2. Giorgi Beridze & Alba Ayala & Oscar Ribeiro & Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas & Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez & Vicente Rodríguez-Rodríguez & Fermina Rojo-Pérez & Maria João Forjaz & Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, 2020. "Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Associated with Quality of Life in Older Adults? Insights from Northern and Southern Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Joanne Brooke & Maria Clark, 2020. "Older people’s early experience of household isolation and social distancing during COVID‐19," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(21-22), pages 4387-4402, November.
    4. Rusi Jaspal & Glynis M Breakwell, 2022. "Socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(1), pages 155-165, February.
    5. Joanne Brooke & Debra Jackson, 2020. "Older people and COVID‐19: Isolation, risk and ageism," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2044-2046, July.
    6. Timo Anttila & Kirsikka Selander & Tomi Oinas, 2020. "Disconnected Lives: Trends in Time Spent Alone in Finland," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 711-730, July.
    7. Natasja Schutter & Tjalling J. Holwerda & Hannie C. Comijs & Max L. Stek & Jaap Peen & Jack J. M. Dekker, 2022. "Loneliness, social network size and mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1057-1076, December.
    8. Anna Idzik(199) & Anna Leńczuk-Gruba & Ewa Kobos & Mariola Pietrzak & Beata Dziedzic, 2021. "Loneliness and Depression among Women in Poland during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-16, October.
    9. Cristina Giudici & Silvia Polettini & Alessandra Rose & Nicolas Brouard, 2019. "Which Aspects of Elderly Living Conditions are Important to Predict Mortality? The Complex Role of Family Ties at Home and in Institutions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 1255-1283, April.
    10. Lena Machetanz & Steffen Lau & David Huber & Johannes Kirchebner, 2023. "Correlates of Social Isolation in Forensic Psychiatric Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: An Explorative Analysis Using Machine Learning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-12, March.

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