Social Isolation in Low-Income Countries Among Young Females: A Review

Social isolation constitutes a significant but under-researched determinant of well-being for young females in low-income countries. While extensive literature examines social isolation among older adults in high-income settings, the experiences of adolescent girls and young women in the world's poorest nations remain poorly understood. This narrative review synthesises qualitative and quantitative evidence published between January 2000 and December 2025 on social isolation among young females (aged 10-24 years) residing in low-income countries. Drawing on 47 studies from 15 countries, the review maps what is known about prevalence, drivers, consequences, and conceptualisations of social isolation while identifying critical knowledge gaps. The evidence reveals that young females consistently experience higher rates of social isolation than their male counterparts, with out-of-school girls, child brides, displaced girls, and those with disabilities being particularly vulnerable. Structural drivers include poverty, gender inequality, displacement, early marriage, and educational exclusion. Consequences span mental health deterioration, reduced educational participation, and constrained economic opportunities. However, the evidence base is characterised by profound conceptual inconsistency, measurement heterogeneity, and geographic concentration in sub-Saharan Africa. Crucially, no studies explicitly defined or measured "social isolation" as a primary outcome using validated instruments among community-dwelling young females in low-income countries. This review argues that social isolation represents a neglected dimension of gendered vulnerability requiring urgent attention. It proposes a coordinated research agenda encompassing conceptual development, culturally validated measurement tools, longitudinal designs, and intervention research to address this blind spot in global health and development.