Citation

Tung EL, Hawkley LC, Cagney KA, Peek ME. Health Aff. (Hope) 2019; 38(10): 1670-1678.

Affiliation

Monica E. Peek is an associate professor of medicine in the Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Project HOPE - The People-to-People Health Foundation)

DOI

10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00563

PMID

31589531

Abstract

Social isolation is a key predictor of mortality in the US and may be heightened in communities affected by violence. Qualitative studies have documented that people living in high-crime neighborhoods often report being confined to their homes because of safety concerns. However, few quantitative studies have empirically assessed relationships between violence exposure and social isolation. In 2018 we conducted hour-long, in-person surveys with 504 adults in Chicago, Illinois. Prior exposure to community violence was associated with a 3.3-point reduction (on a 100-point scale) in the frequency of interaction with network confidantes, a 7.3-point reduction in perceived social support from friends, and a 7.8-point increase in loneliness. At a time when public health and policy leaders are calling for solutions to the "epidemic of loneliness," identifying populations at higher risk because of violence could help target interventions and ensure equitable access to social and medical support.

Language: en

Keywords

Community health centers; Health policy; Loneliness; Older adults; PTSD; Post traumatic stress disorder; Public health; Social isolation; Violence