A comparative study on the intensity of loneliness among Kenyan youth in school and home environments

Loneliness is a public health concern influenced by environmental contexts. Among youth, it manifests differently at school and home, yet research in low-resource settings is limited. This study examined patterns of loneliness and how economic and sociodemographic factors correlate with it in school and home environments among Kenyan youths in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,972 youths aged 14-25 years using a self-administered questionnaires. Analyses included paired t-tests, ANOVA and generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Among participants with complete paired data (n = 1,166), loneliness was significantly higher at school (M =23.15) than at home (M = 21.53). Females reported higher loneliness than males (school: p=.011; home: p<.001). Education level and marital status were significantly related to loneliness at home (p<.001 and p=.022) but not at school. Loneliness at home was higher among the poorest households compared to middle-class households (mean difference =2.556, p=.048). GEE models confirmed these patterns and indicated that employment status influenced differences in loneliness between home and school settings. School settings were linked with higher loneliness, while home loneliness varied by socioeconomic and demographic factors, underscoring the need for targeted interventions addressing environmental and social determinants of youth loneliness.