lonely man in glasses thinking and looking through window at home
Syda Productions/Shutterstock

Mental and Behavioral Well-Being

Article Abstracts
Jun 01, 2021

Mental and Behavioral Well-Being

Loneliness a Factor in Men’s Cancer Risk

Article Abstracts
Mar 28, 2024

Social interaction and companionship are basic human needs that science is now discovering play a part in preventing illness. A recent study by the University of Eastern Finland, published in Psychiatry Research, has found that middle-aged men are at an increased risk of developing cancer if they are lonely. Researchers suggest that taking loneliness and lack of social relationships into account is an important part of comprehensive healthcare and disease prevention.

Project researcher Siiri-Liisi Kraav from the University of Eastern Finland says that the studies, which were carried out over several decades, showed that loneliness could be as significant a health risk as smoking or being overweight. He believes the findings should be taken into account when treating patients.

Launched in the 1980s, the study team monitored the health and mortality of 2,570 middle-aged men from eastern Finland. It was found that 649 men, approximately 25% of participants, developed cancer, and 283 men, or 11% of participants, died of cancer. It was found that loneliness increased the risk of cancer by about 10%, regardless of age, socio-economic status, lifestyle, sleep quality, depression symptoms, body mass index, heart disease, and other risk factors. Additionally, cancer mortality was higher in patients who were unmarried, widowed, or divorced.

Researchers say it is important to examine in more detail how loneliness causes adverse health effects. In doing so, preventive measures can be taken before health deteriorates.

REFERENCES

University of Eastern Finland. (2020, April 16). Men’s loneliness linked to an increased risk of cancer. https://www.uef.fi/en/article/mens-loneliness-linked-to-an-increased-risk-of-cancer

Advanced Search on this topic

Other Articles in this category

Nov 16, 2023 | Mental and Behavioral Well-Being
A recent study published in the American Psychological Association’s journal of Technology, Mind, and Behavior demonstrates that limiting social…
Feb 15, 2023 | Mental and Behavioral Well-Being
A new study published in Cell Reports Medicine has found that breathwork may be more effective than mindfulness meditation for stress reduction and a…
Jan 18, 2023 | Mental and Behavioral Well-Being
Parents are busy people, often juggling multiple commitments. Add a toddler meltdown into the mix, and it’s easy to understand why parents would…
Jan 09, 2023 | Mental and Behavioral Well-Being
The mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to linger, and researchers set out to study how to reduce these negative effects…

Customer Service

KnoWEwell News Updates