Despite Evidence, Social Connection Still Overlooked in Health Care: Study Finds

Despite a growing body of evidence linking social isolation and loneliness to serious health outcomes, new research reveals that both the general public and healthcare providers continue to overlook social connection as a critical component of physical health. The study, led by Brigham Young University psychology and neuroscience professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad and doctoral student Andrew Proctor, published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, shows that awareness around the health risks of social disconnection remains surprisingly low.

With loneliness and isolation trending on the internet, the researchers set up a study. In a nationally representative sample of US adults, as well as samples from the UK and Australia, they surveyed 2,392 people about their perceptions of health risks associated with isolation and loneliness. The data showed that, despite the pandemic and other campaigns, people still underestimate the importance of social connection for physical health. And the underestimation exists equally among the lonely and the socially connected.

In a closely connected study, Holt-Lunstad and Proctor, along with coauthors from top research medical centres, surveyed 681 healthcare providers (primarily doctors) about perceptions of health risks associated with poor social connection. Similar to the general population from the first study, healthcare providers underestimated social connection as a medically relevant health factor. The researchers gleaned some unexpected insights due to an unintentional time lag in data collection in the second study.

These findings point to a significant missed opportunity for preventive care and public health. As research continues to affirm the role of social connection in reducing chronic illness, mental health disorders, and mortality risk, the authors argue that healthcare systems must evolve to include social health in training, assessment, and treatment protocols.

Reference: Julianne Holt‐Lunstad, Andrew Scot Proctor, Carla Perissinotto, Angelin Cheng, Thomas K. M. Cudjoe, Ashwin A. Kotwal, Tad Morley. Healthcare providers’ perceived importance and barriers to addressing social connection in medical settings. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2025; 1545 (1): 132 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15295