Farhana Mann1, Jingyi Wang2, Eiluned Pearce3, Ruimin Ma4, Merle Schlief3, Brynmor Lloyd-Evans3, Sarah Ikhtabi3, Sonia Johnson3. 1. Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK. farhana.mann@ucl.ac.uk. 2. School of Public Health Shanghai, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. 3. Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK. 4. Department of Psychological Medicine, Kings College London, London, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Loneliness is associated with poor health including premature mortality. There are cross-sectional associations with depression, anxiety, psychosis, and other mental health outcomes. However, it is not known whether loneliness is causally linked with the new onset of mental health problems in the general population. Longitudinal studies are key to understanding this relationship. We synthesized evidence from longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and new onset of mental health problems, in the general population. METHOD: We systematically searched six electronic databases, unpublished sources, and hand-searched references, up to August 2021. We conducted a meta-analysis of eight independent cohorts and narrative synthesis of the remaining studies. RESULTS: We included 32 studies, of which the majority focused on depression. Our narrative synthesis found most studies show loneliness at baseline which is associated with the subsequent new onset of depression. The few studies on anxiety and self-harm also showed a positive association. Our meta-analysis found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 2.33 (95% CI 1.62-3.34) for risk of new onset depression in adults who were often lonely compared with people who were not often lonely. This should be interpreted with caution given evidence of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Loneliness is a public mental health issue. There is growing evidence it is associated with the onset of depression and other common mental health problems. Future studies should explore its impact across the age range and in more diverse populations, look beyond depression, and explore the mechanisms involved with a view to better informing appropriate interventions.
PURPOSE: Loneliness is associated with poor health including premature mortality. There are cross-sectional associations with depression, anxiety, psychosis, and other mental health outcomes. However, it is not known whether loneliness is causally linked with the new onset of mental health problems in the general population. Longitudinal studies are key to understanding this relationship. We synthesized evidence from longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and new onset of mental health problems, in the general population. METHOD: We systematically searched six electronic databases, unpublished sources, and hand-searched references, up to August 2021. We conducted a meta-analysis of eight independent cohorts and narrative synthesis of the remaining studies. RESULTS: We included 32 studies, of which the majority focused on depression. Our narrative synthesis found most studies show loneliness at baseline which is associated with the subsequent new onset of depression. The few studies on anxiety and self-harm also showed a positive association. Our meta-analysis found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 2.33 (95% CI 1.62-3.34) for risk of new onset depression in adults who were often lonely compared with people who were not often lonely. This should be interpreted with caution given evidence of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Loneliness is a public mental health issue. There is growing evidence it is associated with the onset of depression and other common mental health problems. Future studies should explore its impact across the age range and in more diverse populations, look beyond depression, and explore the mechanisms involved with a view to better informing appropriate interventions.
Authors: Michelle H Lim; John F M Gleeson; Mario Alvarez-Jimenez; David L Penn Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2018-01-11 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Howard Meltzer; Paul Bebbington; Michael S Dennis; Rachel Jenkins; Sally McManus; Traolach S Brugha Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2012-05-09 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Marta Miret; Francisco Félix Caballero; Raúl Huerta-Ramírez; María Victoria Moneta; Beatriz Olaya; Somnath Chatterji; Josep Maria Haro; José Luis Ayuso-Mateos Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2014-04-01 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Gigi Toh; Eiluned Pearce; John Vines; Sarah Ikhtabi; Mary Birken; Alexandra Pitman; Sonia Johnson Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2022-05-12 Impact factor: 4.144
Authors: Yung-Chia Hsueh; Rachel Batchelor; Margaux Liebmann; Ashley Dhanani; Laura Vaughan; Anne-Kathrin Fett; Farhana Mann; Alexandra Pitman Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-04-14 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Russell Roberts; Caroline Johnson; Malcolm Hopwood; Joseph Firth; Kate Jackson; Grant Sara; John Allan; Rosemary Calder; Sam Manger Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-09-17 Impact factor: 4.614