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Loneliness and Health

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Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

Synonyms

Social isolation

Definition

Loneliness is a subjective experience of dissatisfaction with one’s social relationships that feels unpleasant or distressing. Loneliness is also termed “perceived social isolation” and, although correlated, is conceptually distinct from objective social isolation. Whereas objective isolation corresponds to being alone, perceived isolation corresponds to feeling alone. In the USA, as many as 80% of those under 18 years of age and 19–43% of adults over 65 years of age report being lonely at least sometimes. For as many as 15–30% of the general population, loneliness is a chronic state. Left untended, loneliness has serious consequences for physical and cognitive health and well-being.

Description

Loneliness and Physical Health and Mortality

Loneliness has been associated with a range of poor physical health outcomes as early as childhood. Lonelier children 6–12 years of age suffer from more somatic symptoms, poorer sleep quality, and poorer general...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Louise C. Hawkley

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  1. Louise C. Hawkley
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Correspondence to Louise C. Hawkley .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Marc Gellman

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Martica H. Hall

  2. University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

    Michele L. Okun

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Hawkley, L.C. (2019). Loneliness and Health. In: Gellman, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_812-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_812-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6439-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6439-6

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Loneliness and Health
    Published:
    19 March 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_812-3

  2. Original

    Loneliness and Health
    Published:
    06 July 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_812-2

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