Müller Frank, Charara Amin K, Holman Harland T, Achtyes Eric D
Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
Corewell Health Family Medicine Residency Clinic, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 8;15(1):15988. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-00688-x.
Social isolation and loneliness (SIL) are increasingly recognized as health risks. This study examines family medicine providers' personal experiences with SIL, their perspectives on its importance in clinical practice, and their readiness to incorporate it into medical education. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) among members of major U.S. academic family medicine organizations between October and November 2024. Responses on the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale and items assessing attitudes toward SIL in clinical practice and medical education were analyzed using descriptive and bivariate statistics. Among 1,004 respondents (response rate 20.7%), 27.8% had sum scores ≥ 6 on the UCLA-3 item scale indicating considerable loneliness. SIL was particularly prevalent among women (31.1%), underrepresented minorities (36.1%), and Black/African American respondents (40.3%). While 54.1% rated SIL as important in family medicine and 68.2% supported regular screening, only 32.5% agreed that managing SIL falls within clinicians' responsibility. Providers experiencing SIL themselves reported less frequent patient discussions about loneliness (23.7% vs. 32.0%, p = 0.023) and fewer community partnerships. Most respondents (71.0%) reported inadequate resources in their clinics to address SIL. Family medicine educators experience substantial rates of loneliness, particularly among minority groups, at levels exceeding those of their patients and the general population. Personal experiences with SIL appear to influence clinical practices and teaching. Before implementing widespread screening initiatives, the profession must address both providers' own social connectedness needs and the development of practical clinical resources.
社会隔离与孤独（SIL）日益被视为健康风险。本研究考察了家庭医学提供者在SIL方面的个人经历、他们对SIL在临床实践中重要性的看法，以及他们将其纳入医学教育的意愿。美国学术家庭医学教育研究联盟（CERA）于2024年10月至11月对美国主要学术家庭医学组织的成员进行了一项横断面调查。使用描述性和双变量统计方法分析了对3项加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独量表的回答以及评估临床实践和医学教育中对SIL态度的项目。在1004名受访者中（回复率20.7%），27.8%在加州大学洛杉矶分校3项量表上的总分≥6，表明存在相当程度的孤独。SIL在女性（31.1%）、代表性不足的少数群体（36.1%）和黑人/非裔美国受访者（40.3%）中尤为普遍。虽然54.1%的人认为SIL在家庭医学中很重要，68.2%的人支持定期筛查，但只有32.5%的人同意管理SIL属于临床医生的职责。经历过SIL的提供者报告称，与患者讨论孤独的频率较低（23.7%对32.0%，p = 0.023），社区伙伴关系也较少。大多数受访者（71.0%）报告称，他们所在的诊所缺乏解决SIL问题的资源。家庭医学教育工作者经历着相当高的孤独率，尤其是在少数群体中，其孤独率超过了他们的患者和普通人群。SIL的个人经历似乎会影响临床实践和教学。在实施广泛的筛查举措之前，该行业必须满足提供者自身的社会联系需求，并开发实用的临床资源。
