Many people have become accustomed to being alone during the Corona period. Due to this, they have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Loneliness and social isolation increase heart risk, according to research published in JACC. Cases of heart attacks have increased among people living alone.
Key points
Researchers studied the health outcomes of more than four million people. Research has shown that social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of hospitalisation or heart failure and, according to Zhihui Zhang, a researcher at Guangzhou Medical University in Guangzhou, China, and senior author of the study, increase the risk of death by 15 to 20 percent. In some cases, loneliness was found to be worse than social isolation.
The negative impact is more on men
Social isolation refers to being objectively alone or having few social connections. Researchers report that loneliness and social isolation are more common in men than in women. Men use tobacco and cigarettes more when they are alone. This also increases the risk.
Attention is needed.
According to researchers, many people feel lonely even when they are in relationships or interacting with others. Such people need more attention than the victims of social isolation.
For the duration of the study’s baseline enrolment (1993–1998) until 2018, 44 174 postmenopausal women of various races and ethnicities participated in the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative).
Depressive symptoms were investigated as a potential mediator by a mediation analysis, and effect modification by age, race, and ethnicity was also investigated.
The primary result was an HF episode that necessitated hospitalisation.
Social isolation was measured using a composite variable that took into account community, religion, and marital status.
Using the CES-D, depressive symptoms were evaluated (Center for Epidemiology Studies-Depression).
We analysed data from 36 457 women over a median follow-up of 15.0 years, and 2364 (6.5%) incident HF cases occurred; 2510 (6.9%) participants experienced social isolation.
Socially isolated women had a greater risk of incident HF than nonisolated women in multivariable analyses adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical, and general health and functioning (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.08-1.41).
This connection remained unchanged when depressed symptoms were included in the model (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.40).
Age, colour, or ethnicity had no influence on the relationship between social isolation and incident HF.
Original Research Paper
