Loneliness, living alone and mental well-being: findings from a population-based study in Sweden

To investigate the association between loneliness, living alone and mental well-being among Swedish adults.

The study is based on 6315 men and women aged 18 years or older responding to a population survey in 2022 (overall response rate 45%). A short version of the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale was used to measure mental well-being. The associations between loneliness, living alone and mental well-being were analysed using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for gender, age group, educational level, economic difficulties, social support, risk consumption of alcohol and longstanding illness.

Overall, the majority of the study population did not feel lonely, with 63.5% living with someone and 16.1% living alone. The proportion reporting loneliness, in total 20.4%, was about the same irrespective of whether the respondent lived with someone (10.7%) or was living alone (9.7%). More women than men reported loneliness, living alone and poor mental well-being. The youngest age group, 18-29 years, reported the highest levels of loneliness and poor mental well-being. Loneliness was independently associated with poor mental well-being, and the association was as strong among those who lived alone as among those who lived with someone.

Loneliness was associated with poor mental well-being irrespective of living alone or not. Public health actions aiming to reduce loneliness and strengthen mental well-being in the general population need to address all age groups, in particular young adults and those who live with someone but still feel lonely.