Loneliness Prevention and the Role of the Public Health System

Aims: To evaluate evidence on loneliness interventions that have been assessed and found effective, both for remediation and addressing fundamental causes of loneliness; to consider why population-level primary prevention strategies targeting fundamental causes are necessary, and determine areas for future research; and to outline an integrated approach to prevention considering roles for the Public Health system.

Method: We conducted a review of systematic reviews to identify effective loneliness interventions and classified them in our Population-Prevention Matrix according to public health impact, amount of individual effort required, and level of prevention. We also highlighted emerging interventions that have yet to be formally evaluated.

Results: We identified a range of preventive or therapeutic approaches, and a dearth of population-level primary prevention interventions targeting fundamental causes of loneliness. Filling this gap will be essential in addressing the loneliness epidemic, and we provided emerging examples of population-level primary prevention interventions that may inform future efforts.

Conclusion: Based on evidence to date, we suggest an integrated approach to prevention with significant roles for the US Public Health system, including its function as Chief Health Strategist to lead and guide multisystem approaches to loneliness prevention, with a particular focus on population-level primary prevention strategies.