‘We should take better care of each other. And for many who feel anxious and lost, appropriate, accessible and affordable support can make all the difference.’
Loneliness is a complex and widespread issue that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. It is considered a risk factor for mental and physical health and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It can also have significant negative social and economic consequences.
Monitoring Loneliness in Europe: the project
The Joint Research Centre (JRC), in collaboration with the European Parliament and the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, studies loneliness in the EU within the framework of the pilot project “Monitoring Loneliness in Europe”.
The project aims to develop a better understanding of different aspects of loneliness, including a wide range of individual, social, and contextual factors that contribute to it. It seeks to explore the consequences of loneliness and its impact on individuals and communities in different EU countries. The project also maps solutions to address loneliness and collects policy-relevant insights into effective interventions and strategies with a view to enhance EU policy and action. As such, the project contributes to knowledge sharing and cross-country evidence on loneliness, social isolation and well-being in the EU.
Project outputs
Within the framework of the pilot project on loneliness, an extensive EU wide survey, – the EU Loneliness Survey, was conducted in 2022.
Other project outputs include a series of short policy briefs and literature reviews on subjects of specific relevance such as the association between loneliness and health, social media use and social issues. Extensive work has also been done on loneliness interventions, in particular a series of qualitative interviews with loneliness experts from across the EU.
Explore the website to learn more about the pilot project on Loneliness: publications, events and data collection.
Book: Loneliness in Europe. Determinants, Risks and Interventions
The new book “Loneliness in Europe. Determinants, Risks and Interventions” (2024), authored by the Joint Research Centre, builds on the EU wide survey on loneliness and brings together results across topics. The book sheds light on who is most affected by loneliness, identifies contributing experiences and behaviours, addresses the stigmatisation of loneliness and discusses its societal impact. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of interventions to combat loneliness. Finally, the book discusses the challenges of survey design and offers valuable insights for the monitoring of loneliness in Europe in the future.
The book is open access and you can download it here.
