L 45/1458
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
24.2.2022
COMMISSION PILOT PROJECTS
CHAPTER PP 07 — INVESTING IN PEOPLE, SOCIAL COHESION AND VALUES (cont'd) PP 07 21
(cont'd)
PP 07 21 04
(cont'd) Remarks
This appropriation is intended to cover commitments remaining to be settled from previous years under the pilot project.
Worldwide academic evidence shows that loneliness, the absence of support networks or communicative skills have health (physical and mental) and social consequences on an individual level, as well as an economic impact on the working capacity of people and on the interconnectedness of society.
Loneliness has many symptoms (e.g. depression) which sometimes get medical treatment, while the root causes of the problem remain unsolved.
The effect of loneliness has been showcased on a large scale during the COVID-19 crisis, proving the negative effects of isolation on social cohesion and mental health.
The impact of loneliness and the COVID-19 will have a major impact on European’s demography, not only in terms of health and social connectedness, but also on the economy by way of productivity.
In a fast moving and changing world, with frequently more virtual than physical contact, especially during times of confinement, self-isolation or quarantine, with ageing and culturally diverse populations and with complex demands on the skills of workers, an increasing number of people feel left behind.
The individuality of society erodes into isolation and culminates in loneliness.
In the few countries, where loneliness studies have been carried out before the COVID-19 crisis, about 80% of the population states they feel lonely occasionally and a consistent 10-13% feel lonely permanently.
Not only the elderly but especially the young population is deeply affected, with peaking numbers at the young adolescent age.
At this moment, the few existing studies use different criteria, varying age groups and definitions.
On the Union level several small-scale initiatives have taken place: — the policy brief on ‘Loneliness – an unequally shared burden in Europe’, presenting evidence and data on the subject; — the project ‘VulnerABLE’ aimed at better understanding of how best to improve the health of people living in vulnerable and isolated situations, identify and recommend evidence-based policy strategies, and raise awareness of the findings and support capacity-building within Member States; — a peer review with the participation of several Member States focusing on projects, measures and strategies for tackling social isolation, loneliness and social exclusion in older age which took place in Germany in September 2019; — the European Quality of Life Survey, providing information on loneliness, amongst others the upcoming report on ‘Living, working and COVID-19’.
While these activities provide for different and partial perspectives to loneliness, it is evident that a comprehensive study using comparable data is needed to gain more a complete insight in order to provide for effective and sustainable solutions with the involvement of stakeholders.
The study should thus provide new added value, while avoiding duplications.
Loneliness and its lasting effect on social exclusion and mental health issues occurs in every age and gender group.
In most countries loneliness hits men harder, yet the data is sparse.
Apparently, the East-West and North-South divide also reflects in the gender disparities, with mostly women reporting loneliness in the East, while more men seem to suffer loneliness in Western Europe.