More than half of American adults say they are lonely – 80% of YOUNG US adults say they feel isolated, a survey found
- American adults are very lonely, according to a survey, with nearly 60% saying they feel socially isolated
- Young people in particular feel isolated, with 80% reporting loneliness in a Cigna survey
- While the pandemic may have played a role in some people’s loneliness, the rates are the same as before the pandemic
- Poorer people and people who are black or Hispanic are the most likely to feel lonely
American adults are lonely, and younger people are more likely to feel “left out” by the rest of the world, according to a new poll.
A new study by Cigna, one of America’s largest health insurance companies, finds that 58 percent of US adults report being lonely, and those who are younger, poorer or from an ethnic minority are most likely to suffer.
Nearly 80 percent of people aged 18 to 24 feel lonely, according to the survey, an alarming number in an age group typically considered to be more socially active than their older peers.
While many have pointed to the social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for the increase in loneliness, the totals are at pre-pandemic levels and underscore a long-running epidemic of isolation in America.
More than half of US adults say they feel lonely, with 80% of young people reporting social isolation in particular (file photo)
The report, released this week, polled around 10,000 Americans in December 2021 about their current feelings.
More than half, 58 percent, said they felt lonely. That nearly matches the pre-pandemic total — from 2019 — of 61 percent of adults feeling lonely.
While many wouldn’t assume that young people are lonelier than others – as this survey has found – this is not a new phenomenon.
Experts have found that the transition from school to adulthood — when it’s easy to go from meeting lots of friends every day to not seeing them for weeks — can be difficult.
Add social media and constantly seeing that others seem to be having fun all the time can make those feelings intensify.
There is also a cyclical effect and people who feel lonely are less likely to reach out to friends and acquaintances for social reasons, making them feel even more lonely as they interact less with their peers.
Hispanics were the most likely to report loneliness, with 75 percent of respondents reporting it as such.
Previous research has found that many Hispanic Americans do not feel particularly well connected to their ethnic identity, leading to feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Nearly 70 percent of black respondents also reported feeling lonely.
The biggest indicators of loneliness were age and income. The survey found that 63 percent of all adults earning less than $50,000 a year are considered lonely.+
Nearly three in four recipients of Medicaid — a health care program for low-income Americans — also reported loneliness.
Men and women reported feeling lonely almost equally, at 57 and 59 percent, respectively.
Loneliness can also be dangerous, as those who believe they are socially isolated report increased rates of multiple medical conditions.
More than half of lonely people say their physical health has negatively impacted work activities, and nearly two-thirds reported the same about their mental health.
Less than 30 percent of people in the non-solitary group reported the same about their physical or mental health.
Lonely people were also 70 percent more likely to have a sleep disorder, 50 percent more likely to have a weight problem, three times more likely to have a substance abuse problem, four times more likely to have a neurological disorder, and 60 percent more likely to have a kidney or urinary problem.