Finnish researchers have drawn a clear link between loneliness among middle-aged men and an increased risk of cancer.
The recent study at the University of Eastern Finland concludes that taking account of loneliness and social relationships should be an important part of comprehensive healthcare and disease prevention.
The study, launched in the 1980s with the participation of 2,570 middle-aged men from eastern Finland, monitored their health and mortality on the basis of register data up until the present day.
During the follow-up, 649 men – 25% of the participants, developed cancer, and 283 men (11%) died of cancer. Loneliness was found to have increased the risk of cancer by about 10%.
The associated risk of cancer was observed regardless of age, socio-economic status, lifestyle, sleep quality, depression symptoms, body mass index, heart disease and their risk factors. And cancer mortality was higher in cancer patients who were unmarried, widowed or divorced.
Commenting on the findings, project researcher Siiri-Liisi Kraav from the University of Eastern Finland, said: “It has been estimated, on the basis of studies carried out in recent years, that loneliness could be as significant a health risk as smoking or being overweight. Our findings support the idea that attention should be paid to this issue.
“Awareness of the health effects of loneliness is constantly increasing. Therefore, it is important to examine, in more detail, the mechanisms by which loneliness causes adverse health effects.
“This information would enable us to better alleviate loneliness and the harm caused by it, as well as to find optimal ways to target preventive measures.”
The findings were published in Psychiatry Research medical journal.