In 2019, ** percent of female Christians worldwide aged 60 and older lived alone. In comparison, *** percent of male Hindus worldwide aged 60 and older lived alone. Overall, women across all religions were more likely to live alone in their old age than men.

According to a global survey, about 33 percent of adults experienced feelings of loneliness worldwide. Brazil had the highest percentage of people experiencing this, with 50 percent of respondents declaring that they felt lonely either often, always, or sometimes. Turkey, India, and Saudi Arabia followed, with 43 percent to 46 percent of respondents having experienced loneliness at least sometimes. On the contrary, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, and Russia registered the largest share of interviewees which did not feel lonely.

Coping with loneliness during the pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly cut off people from all over the world from their social life, and the lack of companionship has been a difficult situation for many to cope with. In the United States, people who experienced lack of company were, unsurprisingly, individuals living alone, and unemployed, disabled, or unemployed people. In relation to mental health, Americans who reported more symptoms of depression were by far more likely to feel lonely.

Impact of mental health According to a survey conducted in 2021 among G7 countries, about seven in 10 people experienced a worsening of their psychological health during the pandemic. A study on clinician-reported changes in selected health behaviors in the United States showed that during the pandemic patients have suffered more from feelings of loneliness, depression or anxiety, and burnout. Also nutrition and other habits have been impacted. The study reported an increase in alcohol consumption, smoking cigarettes, poor nutrition, and use of other substances.

All around the world, more and more people are single and live alone. In 2018, there were about 200 million single adults residing in China and more than a third of them lived alone. The world’s most populous country has been facing an increasing trend of delaying marriage and a rising divorce rate in recent years.

What makes tying the knot so hard? Getting married could be a long struggle for many Chinese adults. Owing to the decades-long one-child policy and the preference for a male child, China has an imbalanced sex ratio with over 30 million more men than women in 2018. The male ratio was particularly high in provinces like Guangdong and Tianjin. Furthermore, certain socio-economic expectations make searching for a life partner hard among the Chinese. A potential bride or bridegroom is expected to be multifaceted with emphasis laid on physical appearance alongside personal traits. A 2019 survey showed that many Chinese residing in big cities had the expectation that an ideal partner must earn a competitive salary.

Happily ever after? One might ask “Has this quest for the ideal lover been successful?” Based on the spike in China’s marriage rate in 2013, one might agree. However, many fairytale romances were short-lived with the country’s divorce rate having shot up and the marriage rate having declined to 7.3 percent by 2018.

A survey from 2021 of over 23,000 people from 28 different countries found that 33 percent stated they often, always, or sometimes felt lonely. This share was slightly higher among parents of children aged 0 to 5 years. This statistic shows the percentage of adults worldwide who often/always/sometimes/hardly ever/or never felt lonely as of 2021.

A survey from 2021 of over 23,000 people from 28 different countries found that 41 percent stated they felt more lonely in the last six months. Turkey and Brazil were the countries with the highest share of people who said they felt more lonely in the last six months prior to the survey. This statistic shows the percentage of adults worldwide who stated over the last six months they became more or less lonely as of 2021, by country.

In a 2024 global survey of solo travelers, affordability or low cost of living was the main factor that influenced destination choice, with over **** of respondents saying so. Weather conditions followed closely on the list, ranking ahead of viewing renowned landmarks or natural marvels.