The World Health Organization (WHO) is launching a new commission to address the global struggle of loneliness. For the next three years, the Commission of Social Connection will address loneliness as an epidemic by delivering various resources to communities in need, working to understand the severity of health risks associated with social isolation and by mapping solutions to those issues.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought the problem of social isolation and loneliness to widespread public attention, affecting all countries, communities and ages,” WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing on Wednesday. “But the problem existed long before the pandemic, and it continues for many people throughout the world.”
Research has found that social isolation is linked to a number of health risks, prompting WHO to form the commission.
“Currently, one in four older people experience social isolation, and one in six adolescents is socially isolated and lonely, though this is likely an under-estimate,” Ghebreyesus said. “Social isolation and loneliness affects both physical and mental health. It is associated with up to a 50 percent increase in dementia, and a 30 percent increase in strokes and cardiovascular disease. Social connection has profound benefits for improving health, education, and the economy.”
While social engagement initiatives can be found around the globe, WHO hopes to unify the world’s efforts to combat social isolation in order to achieve more effective solutions.
“Around the world, there are many initiatives to promote social connection in different communities, but we don’t yet know which ones work best,” Ghebreyesus said. “We need global leadership to identify the ‘best buys’ and help deliver the resources needed to implement these solutions. That is why, today, I’m proud to announce the launch of WHO’s Commission on Social Connection. This is the first global initiative to tackle the epidemic of loneliness.”
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