Interventions Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness

Interventions Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness: A Rapid Evidence Review

New SONNET report from ERC member Nancy Weinfield offers insights into effective interventions for 3 key populations: older adults, teens/young adults, and people who are pregnant or postpartum

SONNET’s latest report from our Evaluation and Research Committee (ERC) focuses on social isolation and loneliness in 3 key populations: older adults, teens/young adults, and people who are pregnant or postpartum. ERC member Nancy Weinfield, PhD, and her colleague Adrienne Deneal, MS, at KP Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, led a rapid evidence review of interventions for social isolation and loneliness in these 3 populations. Their report offers different “pathways forward” for each group, for example:

• Older adults: Interventions that promote group activity show promise for older adults who are physically active — while visitor and virtual approaches may be more effective for those who have limited mobility.
• Teens/young adults: Mindfulness seems to be successful approach — but more research is needed to understand the impact of unaddressed mental health needs
• People who are pregnant or post-partum: The existing intervention literature seems to frame loneliness and social isolation as mechanisms that influence other outcomes, such as parenting or depression. More research is needed within this population to understand loneliness and social isolation as specific outcomes.

Read the full report: Interventions Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness: A Rapid Evidence Review

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