Holt-Lunstad Julianne, Cudjoe Thomas K M, Dumitriu Dani, Ellison Nicole B, Kotwal Ashwin A, Pantell Matthew S, Perissinotto Carla M, Smith Matthew Lee
Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Jun;1548(1):12-19. doi: 10.1111/nyas.15343. Epub 2025 May 2.
The United States faces a growing crisis of social disconnection, marked by increasing rates of loneliness, social isolation, and declining social capital. This has profound implications for public health, as social connection is critical to individual well-being and societal functioning. The "loneliness epidemic," as described by the US Surgeon General, is intertwined with broader challenges such as mental health crises, substance abuse, and sociopolitical issues. Although evidence highlights the importance of social connection for health outcomes, efforts to address social disconnection remain fragmented. This article provides context about the status of social disconnection in America and justifies the need for science to promote social connection from the perspectives of a scientific leadership council (SLC). This call to action proposes coordinated efforts to: (1) galvanize efforts to employ scientific evidence to design solutions and policies to address social disconnection; (2) establish the role of a US-based SLC, an interdisciplinary collaborative for evidence-based leadership; and (3) advocate for unified efforts and harmonization to close the gap between evidence and implementation. Additionally, this article proposes setting measurable national goals aligned with the Healthy People 2030 framework to monitor progress and drive systemic change, transforming the current landscape and building a more connected future.
美国正面临日益严重的社会脱节危机，其标志是孤独感、社会孤立感不断上升，社会资本不断下降。这对公众健康有着深远影响，因为社会联系对个人幸福和社会运转至关重要。美国卫生局局长所描述的“孤独流行”与心理健康危机、药物滥用和社会政治问题等更广泛的挑战相互交织。尽管有证据表明社会联系对健康结果很重要，但解决社会脱节问题的努力仍然分散。本文介绍了美国社会脱节的现状，并从科学领导委员会（SLC）的角度说明了科学促进社会联系的必要性。这一行动呼吁提出了协调一致的努力方向：（1）激励各方利用科学证据来设计解决社会脱节问题的方案和政策；（2）确立美国科学领导委员会的作用，这是一个基于证据的跨学科领导协作组织；（3）倡导统一努力与协调一致，以弥合证据与实施之间的差距。此外，本文还提议设定与《健康人民2030》框架一致的可衡量的国家目标，以监测进展情况并推动系统性变革，从而改变当前局面，建设一个联系更紧密的未来。
