US study of 598,000 adults: people aged 18–64 living alone had a 22% higher overall mortality risk

Researchers in the United States analysed data on about 598,000 adults and compared the risk of death among people who live alone and those who live with others, kobieta.onet.pl reports. The largest differences were found not in older people but in young and middle-aged adults kobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plOpen source ↗. In some cases the gap was considerably larger than in the older generation.

Mortality gap by age group

Among people aged 18–64, those living alone had a 22% higher overall risk of death than those living with someone. In the group aged 65 and older, the difference was 6% to the disadvantage of those living alone.

The biggest differences concerned heart disease. Younger people living alone had a 41% higher risk of death from it than those living with others. Similar associations were found for diabetes (34%), colorectal cancer (27%) and stroke (23%).

The data on suicide differ from this pattern. People aged 18–64 living alone had a 58% higher risk of death by suicide, while for those over 65 living alone the risk was 103% higher kobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plOpen source ↗.

What the results do not show

Living alone does not necessarily mean loneliness. People with their own flat may have many friends, regular contact and a full personal life. The study did not find that living alone by itself increases the risk of death.

According to the report, the results show that even among young people the risk varies substantially depending on life circumstances. Lifestyle, financial situation, chronic diseases and access to medical care play an important role.

The original article notes that loneliness among older people is widely recognised as a problem, while young people are thought about far less often, although living alone is common in this age group too kobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plkobieta.onet.plOpen source ↗.