Systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 cohort studies of social isolation, loneliness and mortality

Wang et al · Nat Hum Behav · 2023

Key finding

90-cohort meta-analysis: isolation pooled effect ~1.32; loneliness ~1.14 for all-cause mortality

Evidence & causal status

Strong for association

Association; intervention evidence for mortality less direct

Caveats & limitations

Reliability / bias notes: Definitions differ; loneliness ≠ isolation; socioeconomic/health confounding

This describes a population-level association from published research. It is not a prediction about any one individual, and association is not the same as causation unless stated otherwise above.