Social isolation and loneliness are recognised as important risk factors for various health outcomes. However, their impact on functional bowel disorders (FBDs) remains underexplored.

To explore the associations of social isolation and loneliness with the risk of FBDs in a large prospective cohort.

We included 396 009 participants from UK Biobank who were free of cancer and FBDs at baseline. Social isolation and loneliness were assessed using validated self-reported questionnaires. Incident FBDs were ascertained during follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs. Mediation, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Over a mean follow-up of 15.2 years, 31 877 incident FBDs cases were recorded. Compared with the least isolated, the most isolated had a higher risk of FBDs (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% CI 1.11–1.20). Loneliness was also associated with higher risk (hazard ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.21–1.35). The highest risk was observed among participants who were most isolated and lonely (hazard ratio 1.46, 95% CI 1.33–1.60). Depression, anxiety and low physical activity partially mediated the associations between social isolation/loneliness and FBDs. The association between social isolation and FBDs risk appeared stronger among male, overweight and unemployed individuals, whereas middle-aged adults were more susceptible to loneliness-related risk.

Social isolation and loneliness were associated with a higher risk of FBDs, particularly when co-occurring. These findings underscore the potential relevance of social disconnection to FBDs and suggest that it may represent a target for future preventive strategies.

The role of loneliness and social isolation in the progression from incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to subsequent depression remains underexplored. Further investigation is essential to better understand how these factors influence disease progression.

This study enrolled 427,594 participants without T2DM and depression at baseline. Multistate models were employed to assess the impact of loneliness and social isolation on transitions from a healthy state to incident T2DM, then to subsequent depression, and finally to death. These associations were further examined across individuals with varying glycemic statuses, including normal glucose tolerance and prediabetes.

Over a median follow-up period of 13.66 years, 14,141 incident cases of T2DM, 1,149 subsequent cases of depression, and 33,024 death events were recorded. Loneliness and social isolation were associated with elevated risks of disease progression across most transitions. For the transition from incident T2DM to subsequent depression, the loneliness group exhibited a significantly higher risk (HR = 1.802, 95% CI: 1.521–2.135) compared to the no-loneliness group. Similarly, the most isolated group had an HR of 1.390 (95% CI: 1.185–1.632) compared to the least isolated group. Additionally, participants with prediabetes faced a higher risk of developing depression following T2DM compared to those with normal glucose tolerance. Interaction analyses revealed that employment status and history of cancer modified the association between loneliness and the transition from baseline to death.

These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to address loneliness and social isolation, potentially reducing the risk of disease progression and mortality in individuals with T2DM.

Childhood maltreatment has been associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment in later life, but little is known about whether distinct joint trajectories of social isolation and depression across midlife predict this risk.

Using a prospective cohort design with documented childhood maltreatment and matched controls (N = 1196) followed from ages 0 to 11 into late midlife, we modelled joint trajectories of social isolation and depression (ages 29–47) using group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) and examined their associations with cognitive impairment with no dementia (CIND) at age 59 through modified Poisson regression, controlling for risk factors related to neurodegenerative outcomes (i.e., hypertension, diabetes, obesity, limited physical activity, hearing impairment, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and traumatic brain injury).

GBTM identified four groups: ‘Not isolated or depressed’ (67.7%), ‘Moderately isolated’ (11.7%), ‘Moderately depressed’ (16.5%) and ‘Chronically isolated and depressed’ (4.1%). Using the ‘Not isolated or depressed’ group as the reference category, membership in the highest-risk trajectory (‘Chronically isolated and depressed’) was associated with a 41.5% higher risk of CIND, whereas the ‘Moderately isolated’ and ‘Moderately depressed’ groups did not differ significantly from the reference group. Black non-Hispanic participants and those with documented childhood maltreatment histories had 32.8% and 21.2% higher risk of CIND, respectively, and each additional year of education was associated with a 4.9% reduction in CIND risk.

Sustained co-occurring social isolation and depression from early to mid-adulthood predicted increased risk of CIND independent of established risk factors, highlighting prolonged social and emotional difficulties as modifiable targets for late midlife cognitive health.

Older men face significant health inequities compared to women, with the transition to retirement often exacerbating these differences.

This study explored the benefits of participation in the Squamish Men’s Shed (SMS) in British Columbia, Canada.

Using a case study design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 members aged 55 and older.

Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes: A Meaningful Use of Time, The Desire to Give Back, Finding Friendship Within the Shed, and Well-Being as a By-Product. Findings described the Shed as a valuable space to maintain structure and purpose postretirement, foster community engagement, and cultivate social connection. While mental health was rarely an explicit motivation for participation, members described enhanced well-being as an indirect outcome. The Shed also provided opportunities for intergenerational contribution, reinforcing a sense of usefulness and generativity.

The findings highlight the Shed’s potential as a community-based model that promotes men’s mental health rather than formalized interventions.

Loneliness and social isolation pose significant public health concerns globally, with adverse effects on mental health and well-being. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, loneliness refers to the subjective feeling of lacking social connections, whereas social isolation is the objective absence of social support or networks.

To investigate the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation and their associations with psychiatric disorders.

This study used data from the Republic of Korea National Mental Health Survey 2021, a nationally representative survey. A total of 5511 adults aged 18–79 residing in South Korea participated in the survey. Loneliness and social isolation were assessed using the Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale, whereas psychiatric disorders were evaluated using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed after adjustment for sociodemographic variables.

Among the participants, 11.8% reported experiencing loneliness, 4.3% reported social isolation and 3.4% reported both. Co-occurrence of loneliness and social isolation was significantly associated with psychiatric disorders (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 7.59, 95% CI: 5.48–10.52). Loneliness alone was associated with greater prevalence and higher probability of psychiatric disorders (AOR 3.12, 95% CI: 2.63–3.71), whereas social isolation did not show any significant association (AOR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.64–1.22).

The co-occurrence of loneliness and social isolation is particularly detrimental to mental health. This finding emphasises the need for targeted interventions to promote social connection and reduce feelings of isolation.

To synthesize evidence on approaches used in the co-design of maternal and early childhood primary care interventions with structurally marginalized populations.

Involving end-users when developing health interventions can enhance outcomes. There is limited knowledge on how to effectively engage structurally marginalized populations (i.e., groups that are affected by structural inequities resulting in a disproportionate burden of social exclusion and poor health) when co-designing maternal child primary care interventions.

A rapid scoping review was conducted by searching EMBASE and CINAHL for studies indexed between January 2010 and December 2024. Peer-reviewed studies describing co-designed health interventions or services tailored to structurally marginalized populations during prenatal, postpartum, or early childhood periods were included if they reported on one or multiple steps of a co-design process in community-based primary care practices in high-income countries.

Of the 5970 records that were screened, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The co-designed interventions included three eHealth tools, a health- and social-care hub, a mental health service, a health literacy program, an antenatal care uptake intervention, an inventory of parenting support strategies, and a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevention campaign. Women, mothers, fathers, and health- and social-service providers contributed to the co-design process by participating in workshops, focus groups, individual interviews, or surveys. They provided feedback on intervention prototypes, existing resources, and new intervention designs or practice models. Ethical and practical considerations related to the population and context (e.g., marginalization) were not consistently addressed.

This synthesis on intervention co-design approaches with structurally marginalized populations can provide guidance for primary care organizations that are considering maternal child health intervention co-design with this clientele. Future work should include a critical reflection on the ethical and practical considerations for co-design with structurally marginalized populations in the context of maternal and early child care.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the prevalence and antecedents/outcomes of loneliness and social isolation among individuals with severe mental disorders (SMD), such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder.

Five well-known electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched (plus a hand search). Observational studies that report the prevalence and, if available, antecedents and consequences of loneliness/isolation among individuals with SMD were included. Key characteristics were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed. Our systematic review was preregistered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024559043). The PRISMA guidelines were followed. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) standardized critical appraisal tool developed for prevalence studies was applied to assess the quality of the included studies.

The initial search yielded 4506 records, and after duplicate removal and screening, a total of 10 studies were finally included. The studies included used data from Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania. Two studies employed a longitudinal design, while all other studies had a cross-sectional design. Most of the studies included between 100 and 500 individuals with SMD. All studies involved both male and female participants, with women typically comprising about 40% of the sample. The average age of participants often ranged from approximately 30 to 40 years. The estimated prevalence of loneliness was 59.1% (95% CI: 39.6% to 78.6%, I2 = 99.3, P < .001) among individuals with any diagnosis of SMD. Furthermore, the estimated prevalence of objective social isolation was 63.0% (95% CI: 58.6% to 67.4%) among individuals with schizophrenia or schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The quality of the studies was moderate to good. Subjective well-being and depressive symptoms in particular were found to contribute to loneliness in the included studies.

The present systematic review with meta-analysis identified high levels of loneliness and objective social isolation among those with SMD. These findings stress the importance of monitoring and addressing social needs in this vulnerable group, which may have a positive effect on the life quality of individuals with SMD. Future research in neglected regions (e.g. South America and Africa) is recommended. Different diagnoses within severe mental disorders should be distinguished in future studies. Furthermore, additional longitudinal studies are required to explore the antecedents and consequences of loneliness and social isolation among individuals with SMD.

A systematic review/meta-analysis synthesising the existing evidence regarding the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia is lacking.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with loneliness and social isolation among individuals with MCI or dementia.

A search was conducted in five established electronic databases. Observational studies reporting prevalence and, where available, factors associated with loneliness/isolation among individuals with MCI and individuals with dementia, were included. Important characteristics of the studies were extracted.

Out of 7427 records, ten studies were included. The estimated prevalence of loneliness was 38.6% (95% CI 3.7–73.5%, I2 = 99.6, P < 0.001) among individuals with MCI. Moreover, the estimated prevalence of loneliness was 42.7% (95% CI 33.8–51.5%, I² = 90.4, P < 0.001) among individuals with dementia. The estimated prevalence of social isolation was 64.3% (95% CI 39.1–89.6%, I² = 99.6, P < 0.001) among individuals with cognitive impairment. Study quality was reasonably high. It has been found that living alone and more depressive symptoms are associated with a higher risk of loneliness among individuals with dementia.

Social isolation, and in particular loneliness, are significant challenges for individuals with MCI and dementia. This knowledge can contribute to supporting successful ageing among such individuals. Future research in regions beyond Asia and Europe are clearly required. In addition, challenges such as chronic loneliness and chronic social isolation should be examined among individuals with MCI or dementia.

To explore the association of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) health with the risk of depression and anxiety and to investigate the joint association of CKM health and social connection with depression and anxiety.

This prospective cohort study included 344 956 participants from the UK Biobank. CKM syndrome was identified as a medical condition with the presence of metabolic risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease, and was classified into five stages (stage 0–4) in this study. Loneliness and social isolation status were determined by self-reported questionnaires. Cox proportional hazards models were applied for analyses.

Compared with participants in stage 0, the HRs for depression were 1.17 (95% CI 1.10–1.25), 1.40 (95% CI 1.33–1.48), and 2.14 (95% CI 1.98–2.31) for participants in stage 1, 2–3, and 4, respectively. Similarly, participants in stage 2–3 (HR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.14–1.26) and stage 4 (HR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.51–1.75) had greater risks of incident anxiety. We found additive interactions between loneliness and CKM health on the risk of depression and anxiety. Participants simultaneously reported being lonely and in stage 4 had the greatest risk of depression (HR = 4.44, 95% CI 3.89–5.07) and anxiety (HR = 2.58, 95% CI 2.21–3.01) compared with those without loneliness and in stage 0. We also observed an additive interaction between social isolation and CKM health on the risk of depression.

Our findings suggest the importance of comprehensive interventions to improve CKM health and social connection to reduce the disease burden of depression and anxiety.