Loneliness: the public health challenge of our time

Loneliness is one of the leading public health challenges of our time, with research suggesting that more than 100,000 older people in Scotland are “chronically lonely”. This loneliness can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. The Scottish Government has a commitment to developing a strategy on tackling social isolation and it is hoped that this paper will inform the development of that strategy and generate a much ne eded debate about how we connect with one another and what support is needed for those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. The paper also explores the connection between loneliness and mental health and provides key recommendations to government and society.
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news