Social Connection as a Public Health Issue: The Evidence and a Systemic Framework for Prioritizing the "Social" in Social Determinants of Health

There is growing interest in and renewed support for prioritizing social factors in public health both in the USA and globally. While there are multiple widely recognized social determinants of health, indicators of social connectedness (e.g., social capital, social support, social isolation, loneli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of public health Vol. 43; p. 193
Main Author: Holt-Lunstad, Julianne
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 05.04.2022
Subjects:
Humans
Public Health
Social Determinants of Health
Social Factors
Social Support
social connection
social support
social isolation
mortality
health
loneliness
morbidity
public health
policy
ISSN:1545-2093, 1545-2093
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:There is growing interest in and renewed support for prioritizing social factors in public health both in the USA and globally. While there are multiple widely recognized social determinants of health, indicators of social connectedness (e.g., social capital, social support, social isolation, loneliness) are often noticeably absent from the discourse. This article provides an organizing framework for conceptualizing social connection and summarizes the cumulative evidence supporting its relevance for health, including epidemiological associations, pathways, and biological mechanisms. This evidence points to several implications for prioritizing social connection within solutions across sectors, where public health work, initiatives, and research play a key role in addressing gaps. Therefore, this review proposes a systemic framework for cross-sector action to identify missed opportunities and guide future investigation, intervention, practice, and policy on promoting social connection and health for all
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ISSN:1545-2093
1545-2093
DOI:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052020-110732