The impact of loneliness on health can be as damaging as smoking, obesity and some cancers, and millions of Australian men are at risk, according to new research released in the lead up to Men’s Health Week (12-18 June).
According to a nationally representative survey of 1,282 Australian men, conducted by Healthy Male, 43 per cent of Australian men are lonely. High levels of loneliness were reported by more than one in six men (16 per cent) overall.
Healthy Male CEO Simon von Saldern said the survey results added another element to the overall picture of male health in Australia.
‘This survey was part of a wider study, and we were really surprised by what we saw — we asked these questions, but we were not expecting such a high level of loneliness,’ he said.
Varying results across age groups
The picture is even bleaker in some age groups: one in four (24 per cent) men aged 35-49 have a high level of loneliness, with a rate almost twice as high as in men aged 50-64 years (12.1 per cent), and 3 times higher than men aged 65 and over (6 per cent).
High levels of loneliness are least common for men aged 65 years and older.
The results of the survey inspired Healthy Male to tackle the issue of loneliness this Men’s Health Week (Mon 12-Sun 18 June) and educate those most highly affected with key tips on what an individual can do to recognise and address loneliness.
You can learn more by visiting: healthymale.org.au/mens-health-week-2023.
Not just Australia
Research suggests the male loneliness epidemic is a growing international issue. The US Surgeon General has recently released a report on loneliness in the USA called ‘Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation’, which can be read here.
Japan and Great Britain are attempting to address the issue politically, with a Minister for Loneliness in the UK and the Minister for Loneliness and Isolation in Japan being appointed.
Research has also revealed a link between feeling lonely and men’s health behavior. Aside from the high prevalence of loneliness in men, the Australian study outlined further concerns. For example:
- Men with a high level of loneliness are more likely than others to have poor physical and mental health, after adjustment for variables like age, sociodemographics and relationship status.
- Men with a high level of loneliness are less likely than others to have positive attitudes to preventive health behaviours, including healthy eating, disease screening and undergoing regular health checks.
- 50 per cent of men who are not lonely recognise the importance of a yearly GP checkup, whereas only 35 per cent of men who are very lonely see it as important.
- Low health literacy in men is linked to loneliness.
Health literacy
The survey also highlighted an issue with health literacy — the ability to access and understand health information, to use information for disease prevention, or to use health services — in men experiencing loneliness.
Results showed the percentage of Australian men who can adequately find and use health information is profoundly lower in very lonely males (48.1 per cent) compared to those with low-moderate levels of loneliness (71.6 per cent).
‘These figures are concerning. There are a lot of questions still to be answered, as we don’t know how and why loneliness is affecting men’s help health-seeking behaviour, so more needs to be done to investigate the issue of loneliness in Australian men,’ said Simon von Saldern.
