Smoking is associated with increased loneliness, according to a large study presented at the recent European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona, Spain. “Smoking has been considered a ‘social activity’, but we regularly see people with smoking-related illnesses becoming increasingly socially isolated and lonely,” said Keir Philip, MD, clinical lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK, who presented the findings.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 people across 15 European countries participating in the Survey of Health and Ageing in Europe. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA loneliness scale, which captures how often people feel they lack companionship, feel left out, or feel isolated. Current smokers were compared with non-smokers, and participants were surveyed again two years later. The average participant age was 67; 22% were smokers at the study's start, and 48.5% had more than two chronic illnesses.

Current smokers reported higher loneliness than non-smokers, even after accounting for age and gender, and they experienced larger increases in loneliness over the two-year follow-up. The pattern held with only slight variation across European regions.

"Smoking is associated with increasing loneliness in older people, suggesting smoking may damage psychosocial health in addition to [its] physical effects," said Philip. He suggested that smoking-related illnesses limiting mobility, along with smoking bans in public and private spaces, may reduce opportunities for smokers to socialize.

One likely mechanism for smoking leading to increased loneliness is that progressive smoking related illnesses limit mobility, making it more difficult for people to access and participate in social activities, Philip suggested.

“Another potential mechanism relates to social norms around smoking around other people,” he added. “Smoking bans in public places and informal smoke-free environments in people’s homes may make such places less appealing to people who smoke, which could limit the potential for social interactions.” 

To read the abstract of the presentation (OA3403), click here: https://k4.ersnet.org/prod/v2/Front/Program/Session?e=769&session=20936