Loneliness in Primary Care Patients: A Prevalence Study

The Article in Brief

Loneliness in Primary Care Patients: A Prevalence Study

Rebecca A. Mullen , and colleagues

Background Loneliness has important health consequences. However, little is known about loneliness in primary care patient populations. This study describes the prevalence of loneliness in patients presenting for primary care and its association with demographic factors, health care utilization, and health-related quality of life.

What This Study Found Twenty percent of adult patients making routine primary care visits report being lonely, and the prevalence is higher in younger patients. A survey of 1,235 primary care patients in Colorado and Virginia found that 246 (20 percent) reported lack of companionship, feeling left out, and feelings of isolation from others. The prevalence of loneliness decreased with age, with 33 percent (18/58) of respondents less than 25 years old reporting loneliness compared to 11 percent (34/307) of those over 65 years old. Loneliness was significantly associated with relationship status and employment status. Respondents who were divorced, separated, widowed or never married, as well as those who were unemployed or disabled, had a significantly higher prevalence of loneliness than other respondents. People in poor health were more likely to report loneliness, and a high level of loneliness was positively associated with three measures of health care utilization: number of visits to the primary care office, number of hospitalizations, and number of emergency room or urgent care visits.

Implications

• These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that loneliness is widespread and associated with poor health.
• The authors call on primary care clinicians to prioritize social connections as they consider the risks and needs of lonely patients.