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.

A 2022 survey conducted in 16 countries found that feelings of loneliness tend to decrease with age. That year, nearly 60 percent of young adults between 18 and 24 years reported negative effects on wellbeing from feelings of loneliness, while around 22 percent of respondents aged 65 and older reported the same. This statistic shows the percentage of people worldwide who reported negative effects on wellbeing from feelings of loneliness in 2022, by age group.

Percentage of persons aged 15 years and over by frequency with which they feel lonely, by gender, for Canada, regions and provinces.

A survey from 2022 found that around 33 percent of adults in the United States felt anxious always or often in the past 12 months. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States who stated they always or often felt anxious, depressed, or lonely in the past 12 months as of 2022.

Percentage of persons aged 15 years and over by frequency with which they feel lonely, by gender and other selected sociodemographic characteristics: age group; immigrant status; visible minority group; Indigenous identity; persons with a disability, difficulty or long-term condition; LGBTQ2+ people; highest certificate, diploma or degree; main activity; and urban and rural areas.

Personal well-being, loneliness and what people in Great Britain felt were important issues; indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).

A survey of U.S. adults from December 2021 found that 57 percent of men and 59 percent of women felt lonely. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States who reported feeling lonely as of December 2021, by gender.

In 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) partnered with the Census Bureau on an experimental data system called the Household Pulse Survey. This survey was designed to complement the ability of the federal statistical system to rapidly respond and provide relevant information about how emergent issues are impacting American households. Beginning in Phase 4.0 (on January 9, 2024), questions on social support, loneliness, and social isolation were added to the survey. These questions have been included on other nationally representative surveys. Briefly, the question on social support was included on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from July 2020-December 2021 and was added to the 2024 NHIS. The question on loneliness was added to the 2024 NHIS. The questions on social isolation are adapted from the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index and were included on an earlier cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. For more information, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/lack-socialconnection.htm

Analysis of loneliness in Great Britain during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.

Estimates of loneliness and personal well-being during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by country, region, county and local and unitary authorities. This dataset also includes outputs from regression models which consider the personal characteristics significantly associated with levels of loneliness and well-being both during and prior to the pandemic affecting the UK.

Worldwide, one in four of employees working from home felt lonely a lot of the day in 2023. While working from home is a helpful way for many to efficiently manage stressful everyday lives, it can cause loneliness among some who do not see their colleagues in person.

We took a sequential mixed-methods approach. First, drawing upon the principles of Participatory Action Research, we conducted stakeholder-led (i.e. student-led) focus groups with a diverse group of 13 students to explore their experiences of social connectedness at university before, during, and beyond the pandemic (Study 1). We conducted three rounds of focus groups (3-5 participants per group) using a semi-structured template. This yielded qualitative data in the form of transcripts. (Focus groups .zip)

Then, we used themes emerging from the focus group data to inform an online survey about social connectedness to test the generalisability of the focus group results in 44 students (Study 2). This yielded both quantitative (closed question) and qualitative (open question) data. (Online survey .zip)

Raw data, participant briefs, debriefs, and consent forms, templates and questionnaires are all within the zip files.

Please refer to the READ ME file within each .zip folder

Qualitative data derived from focus groups conducted with students on their experiences of loneliness and social connectedness at university. Quantitative data from an online survey on student experiences of loneliness and social connectedness.

If we learnt one thing from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is the importance of social connection. Social connectedness and belonging are essential for mental health and wellbeing. Loneliness, however, predicts mental ill-health and has been identified as a main cause of mental ill-health in students. Therefore, the Student Mental Health Charter highlights improving social connectedness at university as a priority. During the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, it became even more important to understand students’ experiences of social connectedness. How did students experience social connection under the Covid-19 restrictions, and what lessons can be taken forward as we move on from the pandemic?

It is important to improve social connectedness in all students, not just those experiencing mental ill-health. This is because social connectedness plays a role in preventing the onset of mental ill health. As such, Smarten (The Student Mental Health Research Network), funded several projects to develop non-clinical and universal approaches to improving student mental health.

This project won funding from Smarten. The project involves pilot research to inform future development of a social campus app for students. We took a sequential mixed-methods approach. First, drawing upon the principles of Participatory Action Research, we conducted stakeholder-led (i.e. student-led) focus groups with a diverse group of 13 students to explore their experiences of social connectedness at university before, during, and beyond the pandemic (Study 1). We conducted three rounds of focus groups (3-5 participants per group) using a semi-structured template (attached). Then, we used themes emerging from the focus group data to inform an online survey about social connectedness to test the generalisability of the focus group results in 44 students (Study 2). Raw data, participant briefs, debriefs, and consent forms, templates and questionnaires are all attached here. Please refer to the READ ME file within each .zip folder.

Mixed methods tested the acceptability and feasibility of measuring loneliness, mental health and wellbeing in Sheds The collection includes information related to the project and documentation. The collection does not include research data. The project did not ask for explicit consent about uploading / archiving anonymised data. Collecting retrospective consent was not possible.

Over 1 million older adults are chronically lonely. Loneliness is associated with a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes. The UK government has invested in social prescribing schemes to tackle loneliness and its associated health impacts. Social prescribing refers people with health problems into community-based support and initiatives to enable group and peer support.

Men’s Sheds are one example of a community organisation with involvement in social prescribing and has an overarching aim to tackle loneliness. The Sheds aim to bring people together, to tackle loneliness through ‘making environments’, where men (and women) come together in a social space, doing practical activities (e.g. woodwork).

Working closely with Men’s Sheds, the aims of this project were:

To understand what is acceptable and feasible in terms of evaluating the mental health, loneliness and social isolation of members of Men’s Sheds (Shedders).

To explore different methods of ‘referral’ (e.g., social prescribing) to Sheds.

To understand the mechanisms, process and relationships associated with mental health outcomes in Sheds.

Methods

Mixed methods tested the acceptability and feasibility of measuring loneliness, mental health and wellbeing in Sheds, using acceptability questionnaires, outcome measures (loneliness, mental health and wellbeing) measured at baseline and follow-up. A subset of participants were invited for interview to understand acceptability and explore the role of social prescribing and referral processes into Sheds.

Findings

93 Shedders completed the first questionnaire, with 80% (n=74) follow-up completion and 21 Shedders were interviewed. The questionnaire and outcome measures were acceptable and there was an above 90% completion response to all outcome measures. Often joining a Shed was associated with significant changes to personal circumstances (e.g., bereavement, retirement, medical diagnosis) and the Shed provided space for a mutual exchange of skills and support, with valued male company. There were some positive experiences of social prescribing in Sheds, referrals worked well when there were established relationships and Shed-specific approach. Concerns were raised around the themes of ‘responsibility’, ‘we care but we’re not carers’ and ‘I don’t want it to destroy our Shed’. Suggestions for social prescribing in Sheds were provided.

Conclusion

Men’s Sheds create a unique space for men (and women) to support and share both skills and personal experiences in a shoulder-to-shoulder approach. There are mutual aims between social prescribing and Sheds to reduce loneliness and social isolation. There have been some good practice examples of social prescribing in Sheds, but many concerns exist and further evaluation is needed to enable a collaborative and community-focused relationship in the future.

Of the U.S. adults surveyed, most agreed to some extent that social media usage is related to feelings of loneliness or social isolation. This statistic shows the percentage of U.S. adults who completely or somewhat agree or disagree with the statement "social media usage is related to feelings of loneliness or social isolation" as of 2019.

Loneliness has been associated with multiple negative outcomes. But what contributes to loneliness in the first place? Drawing from the literature on the importance of self-regulatory ability for successful social functioning, the present research explored the role of low self-control as a factor leading to loneliness. A set of four studies (and three additional studies in Supplementary Online Materials) using cross-sectional, experimental, daily diary, and experience sampling methods showed that lower selfcontrol is associated with higher loneliness at both trait and state levels. Why does low self-control contribute to loneliness? Self-control failures that have negative implications for others lead to higher risks for being ostracized by others, which predicts increased feelings of loneliness over time. These results suggest that low self-control, which is often associated with negative intrapersonal outcomes, can have important interpersonal consequences by evoking ostracism, and consequently, loneliness.

Language: All files are in English except the questionnaire.

In June 2020, more than half of U.S. adults aged 50-80 years felt isolated from others due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, 27 percent of older adults felt so before the pandemic in October 2018. This statistic portrays the percentage of older adults in the U.S. who reported feeling lonely or isolated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic as of June 2020.