World Health Org Report On Loneliness

WHO Report: Social Connection as a Global Public Health Priority

Introduction: A Path to Healthier Societies

The World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Connection released a landmark report in 2025 titled "From loneliness to social connection: Charting a path to healthier societies." This report highlights loneliness and social isolation as urgent global public health challenges, emphasizing that social connection is fundamental for individual and societal well-being.

Key Messages from the Report:

• Social Connection is Essential: Social health is as vital as physical and mental health, and all three are interdependent. Social connection can reduce disease risk, increase life expectancy, and strengthen communities.

• Widespread Disconnection: Social disconnection is prevalent across all ages and regions. Between 2014 and 2023, approximately 16% of the global population (one in six people) experienced loneliness.

• Severe and Underrecognized Consequences: The impacts of social disconnection are severe and often overlooked. They affect mortality, physical and mental health, and broader societal aspects like education and economic growth. Loneliness alone is estimated to account for approximately 871,000 deaths annually between 2014 and 2019.

• Hope and Solutions Exist: Effective strategies to foster social connection exist and should be scaled up globally.

• Call for Action: The report serves as a wake-up call and a roadmap for progress, urging leaders to prioritize social connection as a public health priority.

Key Concepts Defined

Social Connection: An umbrella term encompassing three dimensions of how people relate to and interact with each other: Structure (number and variety of relationships), Function (support received), and Quality (nature of relationships).

Social Isolation: The objective state of having few roles, relationships, and social interactions with others, regardless of subjective feelings.

Loneliness: A negative, subjective emotional state resulting from a discrepancy between one's desired and actual experience of social connection. It is often stigmatized, which can prevent individuals from seeking help.

Scale of the Problem

Data from the report reveals the global scale of loneliness and social isolation.

Global Prevalence of Loneliness by Age Group (2014-2023)

Percentage of Population Reporting Loneliness

AllAdolescent (13-17)Young Adult (18-29)Adult (30-59)Older Adult (≥60)06121824Percentage (%)

Global Prevalence of Loneliness by Income Group (2014-2023)

Percentage of Population Reporting Loneliness

Low-incomeLower-middleUpper-middleHigh-income07142128Percentage (%)

Estimated Annual Global Mortality Due to Loneliness (2014-2019)

Based on WHO Report 2025

Marginalized Groups: People with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, migrants, and refugees are more likely to experience loneliness and isolation due to factors like structural stigma, communication barriers, and re-establishing social networks.

Drivers of Social Disconnection

• Individual-level: Poor physical or mental health, certain personality traits, lower education, and unemployment.

• Interpersonal-level: Not having a partner, living alone, lower social activity, and lower social support.

• Societal and Community-level: Poor built environment (e.g., lack of public transport), inadequate social infrastructure, and certain restrictive cultural norms.

• Digital Technologies: The impact is mixed. While they can enhance relationships, excessive use or replacement of in-person interactions can be harmful, particularly for young people.

Solutions and the Way Forward

The report proposes a 10-year agenda for action in five strategic areas: Policy, Research, Interventions, Measurement, and Engagement.

Key recommendations include developing national strategies for social connection, funding research, scaling up effective interventions (with psychological interventions being most promising), strengthening data monitoring, and increasing public awareness to reduce stigma.