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Loneliness around the world: patterns, predictors, and well-being implications.
David Leblang1, Dennis Wesselbaum2
1Department of Politics and Batten School of Public Policy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
European Journal of Epidemiology
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Over one in five adults globally experience loneliness, with higher rates in low-income nations. Factors like health and education influence loneliness, which impacts well-being and migration desires.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Social Epidemiology
- Psychology
Background:
- Loneliness is a growing public health issue with limited global data.
- Understanding cross-national variations in loneliness is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the global prevalence and predictors of loneliness.
- To examine the association between loneliness and subjective well-being, emotions, and migration intentions.
- To explore contextual variations in the experience and impact of loneliness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2023-2024 Gallup World Poll, encompassing 218,048 adults across 148 countries.
- Employed multivariate analyses to identify predictors of loneliness.
- Analyzed associations between loneliness and subjective well-being, negative emotions, and migration intentions, considering regional differences.
Main Results:
- Over 20% of adults worldwide reported feeling lonely, with the highest prevalence in low-income countries and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Better health, higher education, larger household size, and employment were associated with lower loneliness, but these relationships varied by context.
- Loneliness correlated with reduced subjective well-being, increased negative emotions, and stronger migration intentions, particularly in high-income regions.
Conclusions:
- Loneliness is a universal yet context-specific phenomenon requiring tailored global and local strategies.
- Addressing loneliness necessitates considering both structural determinants and psychosocial factors.
- Promoting social connection and emotional well-being worldwide demands integrated policy approaches.
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