Loneliness hurts, but social isolation can kill you.
Both social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality, but it is uncertain whether their effects are independent or whether loneliness represents the emotional pathway through which social isolation impairs health. We therefore assessed the extent to which the association between social isolation and mortality is mediated by loneliness.
After adjusting statistically for demographic factors and baseline health, social isolation remained significantly associated with mortality, but loneliness did not.
The association of social isolation with mortality was unchanged when loneliness was included in the model. Both social isolation and loneliness were associated with increased mortality. However, the effect of loneliness was not independent of demographic characteristics or health problems and did not contribute to the risk associated with social isolation.
Although both isolation and loneliness impair quality of life and well-being, efforts to reduce isolation are likely to be more relevant to mortality.
Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality in older men and women
by Andrew Steptoe, Aparna Shankar, Panayotes Demakakos, and Jane Wardle
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/03/19/1219686110.abstract
Abstract
Both social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality, but it is uncertain whether their effects are independent or whether loneliness represents the emotional pathway through which social isolation impairs health. We therefore assessed the extent to which the association between social isolation and mortality is mediated by loneliness. We assessed social isolation in terms of contact with family and friends and participation in civic organizations in 6,500 men and women aged 52 and older who took part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in 2004–2005. A standard questionnaire measure of loneliness was administered also. We monitored all-cause mortality up to March 2012 (mean follow-up 7.25 y) and analyzed results using Cox proportional hazards regression. We found that mortality was higher among more socially isolated and more lonely participants. However, after adjusting statistically for demographic factors and baseline health, social isolation remained significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.48 for the top quintile of isolation), but loneliness did not (hazard ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval, 0.78–1.09). The association of social isolation with mortality was unchanged when loneliness was included in the model. Both social isolation and loneliness were associated with increased mortality. However, the effect of loneliness was not independent of demographic characteristics or health problems and did not contribute to the risk associated with social isolation. Although both isolation and loneliness impair quality of life and well-being, efforts to reduce isolation are likely to be more relevant to mortality.
Isolation V. Loneliness: The Difference And Why It Matters
NPR
http://www.npr.org/2013/04/03/176145190/isolation-v-loneliness-the-difference-and-why-it-matters?ft=3&f=1025,1128
Researchers from University College London followed thousands of people over the age of 52 for seven to eight years to assess the effect of loneliness and isolation. Isolation, not loneliness, may actually shorten people’s lives regardless of health or income.
Maybe Isolation, Not Loneliness, Shortens Life
by JON HAMILTON
NPR
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/26/175283008/maybe-isolation-not-loneliness-shortens-life
Loneliness hurts, but social isolation can kill you. That’s the conclusion of a study of more than 6,500 people in the U.K.
なぜ一人ぼっちは健康に悪いのか？
by 黒澤くの
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/7574536/
人と人との結びつきが希薄になったと言われる現代。「孤独のもたらす健康リスク」についての研究が、近年盛んに行われるようになっています。例えば2010年には、「行き過ぎた孤独は日に15本喫煙するのと同じくらい危険」という研究結果も。
「独りが好きな自分には関係ない」と安心している方も、今回お届けする話題は他人ごとではないかもしれません。最新の研究で「社会的ネットワークが減ると、孤独を気にしない人でも死に至りやすい」という統計結果が出されたのです。
■6500人を8年かけて追った最新の研究
研究報告を行ったのは、アンドリュー・ステップトウ（Andrew Steptoe）教授の率いる、ユニヴァーシティ・カレッジ・ロンドンの疫学研究チーム。
彼らは2004～5年にかけて、6500人の「50歳以上の男女」を対象に、孤独度を測るアンケートを実施。家族や友人との接触度や、地域の集まりへの参加具合を観察したうえで、その後およそ8年もの間、各人の健康状態を追跡しました。
結果として、被験者のうち918人が死亡。これらの総合的なデータから導き出されたのが、「死因と関係なく、社会からの隔絶は高い死亡率と関連がある」という結果。持病や経済力、性別や年齢を考慮しても、最大で26％も高い死亡率が見られたそうです。
■ ”孤独そのもの” が死因ではない
リサーチが示しているのは、”孤独そのもの” ではなく、”社会からの隔絶” が重大なリスク要因だということ。
「隔絶は、友人、家族、組織との接触不足を意味しますが、孤独は交際や付き合いを避ける主観的な選択と言えます。両者は同じコインの裏表でしょう」と語るステップトウ氏。社会的ネットワークの維持は、人生の根本であるだけでなく、健康の維持にも有利だと見ています。
例えば、孤独好きな傾向のある人にとっても、周囲からのサポートはストレスを軽減する心理的な作用があります。また、きちんとした食習慣、薬を飲むことや健康法などの「体に良い習慣」は他人から影響されることも多いのです。
「社会的に隔絶されているということは、人付き合いが減るだけでなく、”助言と援助の機会” が減るということなのです。」
高齢になるにつれて孤独を好む傾向もあるため、こうした研究から得た知識を「実際の医療の現場で活用する」ことが望まれています。高齢化社会を迎えている日本でも、”孤独死” の問題は深刻。ぜひ役立てて欲しいものです。