By Emily Head, Imperial College London — MedicalXPress, 5 January 2022
Smokers may become more socially isolated and lonely than non-smokers as they get older, a new study suggests. Previous research had found that people who are isolated and lonely are more likely to smoke. However, this latest study, the first of its kind, found that smoking itself may also lead to higher levels of isolation and loneliness.
The research, published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe and led by Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL) researchers, examined the relationship between smoking and the development of social isolation and loneliness. It found that, over time, people who smoked saw their social contact reduce, and they became less socially engaged and more lonely compared to non-smokers.
The new study used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), consisting of a nationally representative sample of 8,780 people aged 50 years and older in England. Participants’ social isolation and loneliness were assessed over 12 years. Researchers found that current smokers were more likely to be lonely and socially isolated than non-smokers at the outset, having less frequent social interactions with family and friends, less frequent engagement with community and cultural activities, and being more likely to live alone. Smoking was also associated with larger reductions in social contact and increases in loneliness over time.
Study author Dr Keir Philip said: “Our research suggests smoking is bad for aspects of psychological and social health in addition to the well-established physical impacts of smoking. Some people think smoking is a social activity, but our study did not support this idea — smokers actually became more socially isolated and lonely than non-smokers over time.” The authors hope their study will provide another incentive for people who smoke to quit at the start of the new year.