IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v334y2023ics0277953623005208.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Risk factors for loneliness: A literature review

Author

Listed:
  • Barjaková, Martina
  • Garnero, Andrea
  • d’Hombres, Béatrice

Abstract

Increasingly, loneliness is being recognised as a serious problem with detrimental effects on health, as well as on social cohesion and community trust. To effectively tackle this complex issue, a clear understanding of the phenomenon and its main drivers is needed. Over years of scientific research on loneliness, many potential risk factors have emerged and been tested empirically.

Suggested Citation

  • Barjaková, Martina & Garnero, Andrea & d’Hombres, Béatrice, 2023. "Risk factors for loneliness: A literature review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:334:y:2023:i:c:s0277953623005208
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116163
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953623005208
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116163?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Honghui Pan & Pamela Qualter & Manuela Barreto & Hannelore Stegen & Sarah Dury, 2023. "Loneliness in Older Migrants: Exploring the Role of Cultural Differences in Their Loneliness Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Morrish, N. & Medina-Lara, A., 2021. "Does unemployment lead to greater levels of loneliness? A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    3. Eline Moens & Stijn Baert & Elsy Verhofstadt & Luc Van Ootegem, 2021. "Does loneliness lurk in temp work? Exploring the associations between temporary employment, loneliness at work and job satisfaction," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-9, May.
    4. Jenny Gierveld & Pearl A. Dykstra & Niels Schenk, 2012. "Living arrangements, intergenerational support types and older adult loneliness in Eastern and Western Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 27(7), pages 167-200.
    5. Lepinteur, Anthony & Clark, Andrew E. & Ferrer-i-Carbonell, Ada & Piper, Alan & Schröder, Carsten & D'Ambrosio, Conchita, 2022. "Gender, loneliness and happiness during COVID-19," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    6. Tore Bonsaksen & Mariyana Schoultz & Hilde Thygesen & Mary Ruffolo & Daicia Price & Janni Leung & Amy Østertun Geirdal, 2021. "Loneliness and Its Associated Factors Nine Months after the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-National Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-11, March.
    7. Thomas Hansen & Britt Slagsvold, 2016. "Late-Life Loneliness in 11 European Countries: Results from the Generations and Gender Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 445-464, October.
    8. 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).
    9. Bruno Arpino & Christine A. Mair & Nekehia T. Quashie & Radoslaw Antczak, 2022. "Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic—are unpartnered and childless older adults at higher risk?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1327-1338, December.
    10. Theo G van Tilburg & Stephanie Steinmetz & Elske Stolte & Henriëtte van der Roest & Daniel H de Vries & Deborah Carr, 2021. "Loneliness and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Among Dutch Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 76(7), pages 249-255.
    11. Louise C. Hawkley & Mary Elizabeth Hughes & Linda J. Waite & Christopher M. Masi & Ronald A. Thisted & John T. Cacioppo, 2008. "From Social Structural Factors to Perceptions of Relationship Quality and Loneliness: The Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(6), pages 375-384.
    12. Gražina Rapolienė & Marja Aartsen, 2022. "Lonely societies: low trust societies? Further explanations for national variations in loneliness among older Europeans," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 485-494, September.
    13. Bridget Shovestul & Jiayin Han & Laura Germine & David Dodell-Feder, 2020. "Risk factors for loneliness: The high relative importance of age versus other factors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, February.
    14. Jenny de Jong Gierveld & Marjolein Broese van Groenou & Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn & Johannes H. Smit, 2009. "Quality of Marriages in Later Life and Emotional and Social Loneliness," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 64(4), pages 497-506.
    15. Eun Young Choi & Mateo P Farina & Qiao Wu & Jennifer Ailshire, 2022. "COVID-19 Social Distancing Measures and Loneliness Among Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 77(7), pages 167-178.
    16. Lena Dahlberg & Kevin J. McKee & Carin Lennartsson & Johan Rehnberg, 2022. "A social exclusion perspective on loneliness in older adults in the Nordic countries," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 175-188, June.
    17. Hawkley, Louise C. & Zheng, Boyan & Song, Xi, 2020. "Negative financial shock increases loneliness in older adults, 2006–2016: Reduced effect during the Great Recession (2008–2010)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    18. Caro, Juan Carlos & Clark, Andrew E. & D'Ambrosio, Conchita & Vögele, Claus, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 lockdown stringency on loneliness in five European countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    19. Ricardo Pagan, 2020. "Gender and Age Differences in Loneliness: Evidence for People without and with Disabilities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-16, December.
    20. Bu, Feifei & Steptoe, Andrew & Fancourt, Daisy, 2020. "Loneliness during a strict lockdown: Trajectories and predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 38,217 United Kingdom adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    21. Bayat, Neda & Fokkema, Tineke & Mujakovic, Suhreta & Ruiter, Robert A.C., 2021. "Contextual correlates of loneliness in adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    22. Thijs van den Broek & Emily Grundy, 2017. "Loneliness among Polish migrants in the Netherlands: The impact of presence and location of partners and offspring," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(23), pages 727-742.
    23. Kristi J. MacDonald & Gonneke Willemsen & Dorret I. Boomsma & Julie Aitken Schermer, 2020. "Predicting Loneliness from Where and What People Do," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-9, April.
    24. Fredrica Nyqvist & Mikael Nygård & Thomas Scharf, 2019. "Loneliness amongst older people in Europe: a comparative study of welfare regimes," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 133-143, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thijs van den Broek & Marco Tosi, 2020. "The More the Merrier? The Causal Effect of High Fertility on Later-Life Loneliness in Eastern Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 733-748, June.
    2. Bruno Arpino & Christine A. Mair & Nekehia T. Quashie & Radoslaw Antczak, 2022. "Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic—are unpartnered and childless older adults at higher risk?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1327-1338, December.
    3. Emiko Takagi & Yasuhiko Saito & Angelique Chan, 2020. "Gender differences in the association between social relationships and loneliness among older adults in Singapore," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 243-263, September.
    4. Vanessa Ibáñez-del Valle & Silvia Corchón & Georgiana Zaharia & Omar Cauli, 2022. "Social and Emotional Loneliness in Older Community Dwelling-Individuals: The Role of Socio-Demographics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.
    5. 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).
    6. Latikka, Rita & Koivula, Aki & Oksa, Reetta & Savela, Nina & Oksanen, Atte, 2022. "Loneliness and psychological distress before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Relationships with social media identity bubbles," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    7. Morrish, N. & Medina-Lara, A., 2021. "Does unemployment lead to greater levels of loneliness? A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    8. Lauren Newmyer & Ashton M. Verdery & Haowei Wang & Rachel Margolis, 2022. "Population Aging, Demographic Metabolism, and the Rising Tide of Late Middle Age to Older Adult Loneliness Around the World," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 48(3), pages 829-862, September.
    9. Sumeet Lal & Trinh Xuan Thi Nguyen & Abdul-Salam Sulemana & Pattaphol Yuktadatta & Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan & Yoshihiko Kadoya, 2022. "A Longitudinal Study on Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.
    10. Janosch Schobin, 2022. "Loneliness and Emancipation: A Multilevel Analysis of the Connection between Gender Inequality, Loneliness, and Social Isolation in the ISSP 2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-23, June.
    11. Glenn Sandström & Lena Karlsson, 2019. "The educational gradient of living alone: A comparison among the working-age population in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(55), pages 1645-1670.
    12. Hawkley, Louise C. & Steptoe, Andrew & Schumm, L. Philip & Wroblewski, Kristen, 2020. "Comparing loneliness in England and the United States, 2014–2016: Differential item functioning and risk factor prevalence and impact," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    13. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Lost Connections: Why the Growing Crisis of Loneliness Matters for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-7, July.
    14. Jenny Gierveld & Pearl A. Dykstra & Niels Schenk, 2012. "Living arrangements, intergenerational support types and older adult loneliness in Eastern and Western Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 27(7), pages 167-200.
    15. Thomas Hansen & Britt Slagsvold, 2016. "Late-Life Loneliness in 11 European Countries: Results from the Generations and Gender Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 445-464, October.
    16. Thijs van den Broek & Emily Grundy, 2017. "Loneliness among Polish migrants in the Netherlands: The impact of presence and location of partners and offspring," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(23), pages 727-742.
    17. Aparna Shankar & Tara Kidd, 2022. "Loneliness in Older Indian Dyads," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    18. Celia Fernández-Carro & Jordi Gumà Lao, 2022. "A Life-Course Approach to the Relationship Between Education, Family Trajectory and Late-Life Loneliness Among Older Women in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1345-1363, August.
    19. Baarck, Julia & d'Hombres, Béatrice & Tintori, Guido, 2022. "Loneliness in Europe before and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(11), pages 1124-1129.
    20. Mina Samangooei & Ralph Saull & Netta Weinstein, 2023. "Access to Nature Fosters Well-Being in Solitude," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:334:y:2023:i:c:s0277953623005208. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.