Health Impacts of Loneliness and Isolation

According to a new survey by the Pew Research Center, equal shares of men and women say they're lonely. The survey, Men, Women and Social Connections, also found women are more likely to reach out to a wider network for emotional support. Elaine Johannes, the Kansas Health Foundation's Distinguished Professor of Community Health at Kansas State University, says 16% of those surveyed reported feeling lonely or isolated from those around them all or most of the time and 38% said they sometimes feel lonely. She discusses why connections are important and how those connections can be formed. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode shares the expertise of K-State specialists in fields such as child nutrition, food safety, adult development and aging, youth development, family resource management, physical fitness and more. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to [email protected]. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.