The World Health Organisation has launched a new Commission on Social Connection – to run for three years – in efforts to address loneliness as a pressing health threat, promote social connection as a priority, and accelerate the scaling up of solutions in countries of all incomes.
Co-chaired by US Surgeon-General Dr Vivek Murthy, and African Union Youth Envoy Chido Mpemba, the commission consists of 11 leading policy-makers, thought leaders and advocates.
The commission will analyse the central role social connection plays in improving health for people of all ages and outline solutions to build social connections at scale. It will also consider how connection enhances the well-being of communities and societies and helps foster economic progress, social development, and innovation.
Research has found that social isolation – having an insufficient number of social connections, and loneliness – and the social pain of not feeling connected, are widespread. Contrary to the perception that isolation and loneliness primarily affect older people in high-income countries, they impact the health and well-being of all age groups across the world, said the WHO, with one in four older people experiencing social isolation and the rates being broadly similar in all regions.
Among adolescents, between 5% and 15% experience loneliness, according to research findings. However, these figures are likely to be under-estimations.
Lack of social connection carries an equivalent, or even greater, risk of early death as other better-known risk factors – such as smoking, excessive drinking, physical inactivity, obesity, and air pollution.
Social isolation also has a serious impact on physical and mental health; studies show that it has been linked to anxiety and depression and can increase risk of cardiovascular disease by 30%.
The new WHO Commission will define a global agenda on social connection; raising awareness and building collaborations that will drive evidence-based solutions for countries, communities and individuals.
This agenda has particular significance at this time, given how the Covid-19 pandemic and its social and economic repercussions undermined social connections.
The Commission on Social Connection, supported by a Secretariat based at WHO, will hold its first leadership-level meeting from 6 to 8 December 2023. The first major output will be a flagship report released by the mid-point of the three-year initiative.
The WHO article – WHO launches commission to foster social connection (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
AHA flags effects of social isolation on cardiovascular and brain health
Social isolation linked to later dementia – collaborative study
Social isolation linked to higher risk of death from all causes
Losing touch: The mental health cost of isolation