Social Connection: A Neglected Social Determinant of Health and an Opportunity to Improve Disease Management
Social connections are essential for mental and physical health across all ages, and owing to their importance on overall health and well-being, the World Health Organization has recently recognized social disconnection, or social isolation and feelings of loneliness, as significant social determinants of health, especially for older individuals.1 Social isolation is objectively having few social relationships, social roles, and group memberships and infrequent social interactions, and loneliness is the subjective distressing feeling of solitude and of unfulfilled social connections.