Loneliness tops social determinants of health, says survey

Survey results published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) found that social isolation or loneliness and lack of social and emotional support were the most commonly reported social determinants of health measures for adults living in the United States.

The results were based on 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Using landline and cellular phone survey methods, participants were asked about life satisfaction, social and emotional support, social isolation or loneliness, employment stability, food stability/security, housing stability/security, utility stability/security, transportation access, mental well-being, and health care access. Respondents were all U.S. residents aged 18 years and older.

The analysis included 323,877 participants with complete demographic and general health status information. Prevalence of adverse social determinants of health and health-related social needs were also examined by race and ethnicity.

Social isolation or loneliness (31.9%) and lack of social and emotional support (24.8%) were the most commonly reported measures, both of which were more prevalent among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black or African American, non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic multiracial, and Hispanic or Latino adults than among non-Hispanic white adults.

Receiving food stamps or SNAP was most prevalent among Black adults (21.9%) and American Indian or Alaska Native adults (21.3%), and not having access to reliable transportation was most prevalent among American Indian or Alaska Native adults (16.2%).

Lack of health insurance (21.0%) was most commonly reported among Hispanic adults. The lowest prevalences of most adverse social determinants of health and health-related social needs measures were among Asian and white adults, according to the results.