Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad

And all of these different ways of lacking connection are all associated with risk. So Dr. And then, conversely, having connection is is associated with better kinds of outcomes and actually protective. Dr. And so, when we start to ask you know, then, when you ask the question of is this a public health issue and and is this more of an individual issue or a societal issue. It's all of the above.

And all of these different ways of lacking connection are all associated with risk. So Dr. And then, conversely, having connection is is associated with better kinds of outcomes and actually protective. Dr. And so, when we start to ask you know, then, when you ask the question of is this a public health issue and and is this more of an individual issue or a societal issue. It's all of the above.

And so we know that, for instance, loneliness can be felt very personally. But we also know that the ways in which we might lack connection and the barriers that people face to connection can not just originate within the individual, but also originate in their communities and society. And so there may be all sorts of barriers to connection and underlying causes to that that may be playing a role.

And so we know that, for instance, loneliness can be felt very personally. But we also know that the ways in which we might lack connection and the barriers that people face to connection can not just originate within the individual, but also originate in their communities and society. And so there may be all sorts of barriers to connection and underlying causes to that that may be playing a role.

And of course, the pandemic is just a very good illustrative example of how something external can be contributing to that that's really outside of someone's control. Of course, there are many other kinds of factors, you know, whether you live in a safe neighborhood could you know that could influence the extent to which you feel comfortable.

And of course, the pandemic is just a very good illustrative example of how something external can be contributing to that that's really outside of someone's control. Of course, there are many other kinds of factors, you know, whether you live in a safe neighborhood could you know that could influence the extent to which you feel comfortable.

engaging with others, there are many, many factors that that can occur and so really what we what we think about when we think of you know, is this a public health issue. First off, we have very strong and robust evidence of the impacts on objective health outcomes. And the other is that we have good evidence of a significant portion of the population that is affected by this.

engaging with others, there are many, many factors that that can occur and so really what we what we think about when we think of you know, is this a public health issue. First off, we have very strong and robust evidence of the impacts on objective health outcomes. And the other is that we have good evidence of a significant portion of the population that is affected by this.

And so from that standpoint, we really do need to take a public health approach to this issue.

And so from that standpoint, we really do need to take a public health approach to this issue.

That's a great question. And, you know, for a while we really had limited evidence in terms of, um, the types of countries that were, we had data on. So most of the evidence was coming from North America, Europe, mostly wealthy nations. Western nations, right? And we're now starting to see data globally. And in fact, I participated as an academic advisor on a recent Gallup and Meta survey.

That's a great question. And, you know, for a while we really had limited evidence in terms of, um, the types of countries that were, we had data on. So most of the evidence was coming from North America, Europe, mostly wealthy nations. Western nations, right? And we're now starting to see data globally. And in fact, I participated as an academic advisor on a recent Gallup and Meta survey.

It was a global survey of the global state of connection. And it surveyed 142 countries. And What was interesting is we found that nearly a quarter of the global population reported feeling either fairly or very lonely. But what was interesting was among the 29 countries that reported more than a third, 22 of those 29 were in Africa.

It was a global survey of the global state of connection. And it surveyed 142 countries. And What was interesting is we found that nearly a quarter of the global population reported feeling either fairly or very lonely. But what was interesting was among the 29 countries that reported more than a third, 22 of those 29 were in Africa.

And so what this suggests is that this is indeed a global issue and not just something that is experienced in these, you know, wealthier Western kinds of nations. Certainly not just the U.S.

And so what this suggests is that this is indeed a global issue and not just something that is experienced in these, you know, wealthier Western kinds of nations. Certainly not just the U.S.

So I should give one caveat to that global state of connection survey, and that was that it simply used one item, and many other surveys use more comprehensive assessments of loneliness. And so when we look at kind of differentiating these, we see slightly different results when we look at a more comprehensive assessment versus a single item assessment.

So I should give one caveat to that global state of connection survey, and that was that it simply used one item, and many other surveys use more comprehensive assessments of loneliness. And so when we look at kind of differentiating these, we see slightly different results when we look at a more comprehensive assessment versus a single item assessment.

And so trying to identify that consistently has been a little bit challenging. I will follow up with a note on the global aspect of that is that the World Health Organization has established a commission on social connection to really address some of these issues on a global level. And I am part of their technical advisory group, so I will be advising them on that work.

And so trying to identify that consistently has been a little bit challenging. I will follow up with a note on the global aspect of that is that the World Health Organization has established a commission on social connection to really address some of these issues on a global level. And I am part of their technical advisory group, so I will be advising them on that work.