Chronic and episodic loneliness and social isolation: prevalence and sociodemographic analyses from a longitudinal Australian survey

Abstract Purpose: Loneliness and social isolation, experienced more long-term, has been shown to increase mortality and lead to poorer health outcomes in specific cohorts. However, it is unclear what the prevalence of chronic loneliness and social isolation is, and which demographic groups are most at risk of reporting more chronic forms. Methods: A psychometrically validated classification system was used to identify people who met criteria for episodic and chronic loneliness and social isolation using the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey waves 14-18. Results: The cumulative prevalence over five years of loneliness (overall 34%; 21% episodic, 13% chronic) far exceeded that of social isolation (overall 17%; 13% episodic, 4% chronic). There was consistency in the demographic characteristics (from age, sex, household type, income) of those who experienced loneliness and social isolation. However, people with a long-term health condition had an elevated risk of episodic loneliness (AOR = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.11-1.39) and a markedly higher risk of chronic loneliness (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.76-2.29), compared with those without a long-term health condition. Conclusions: Loneliness, both episodic and chronic subtypes, is more prevalent than social isolation, yet remains neglected and poorly targeted within current practice and policy.