Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42734567›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of epidemiology2026

Have Australians become more lonely and socially isolated? A longitudinal analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study.

Neta Hagani, Philip J Clare, Katherine B Owen, Mengyun Luo, Daniel L Surkalim, Karine E Manera, Michelle H Lim, Ben J Smith, Philayrath Phongsavan, Ding Ding

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In one paragraph

Article in International journal of epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Neta HaganiPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Philip J ClarePrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2009-7386
Katherine B OwenPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mengyun LuoPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Daniel L SurkalimPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Karine E ManeraPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0552-6074
Michelle H LimPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ben J SmithPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Philayrath PhongsavanPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ding DingPrevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9850-9224

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leader Fellowship 2009254
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to examine temporal trends in episodic and chronic loneliness and social isolation in the Australian population from 2001 to 2023.

methodsWe conducted a population-based longitudinal cohort study (n = 13 120). Data were drawn from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Episodic (at least one wave) and chronic (at least two consecutive waves) loneliness and social isolation were assessed using validated measures. Mixed-effects logistic regression models estimated marginal predicted probabilities over time and across demographic subgroups. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the findings.

resultsLoneliness remained relatively stable overall, with a slight early decline followed by a modest increase and a gradual rise in chronic loneliness from the late 2000s. In contrast, social isolation increased substantially over time, with chronic isolation roughly doubling across the study period. Loneliness trends generally followed a decline during the 2000s and a rise from the 2010s onwards across most demographic groups, although the magnitude and timing varied between subgroups. In contrast, social isolation increased over time across most populations, with particularly marked increases among older adults and individuals in the lowest education and highest area-level disadvantage.

conclusionsSocial isolation increased substantially in Australia over the past two decades, while loneliness showed a moderate increase, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Findings underscore the need for ongoing public health interventions that address the structural and social determinants of loneliness and social isolation.

Indexed as

LonelinessSocial IsolationAdolescentAdultAgedAustralasian PeopleAustraliaFemaleHumansIncomeLogistic ModelsLongitudinal StudiesLow Socioeconomic StatusMaleMiddle AgedSocioeconomic FactorsHILDAlonelinesssocial connectionsocial isolationsocioeconomic statustrend analysis

Identifiers

PMID42734567
PMCPMC13573587

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.