Sydney– A new study has revealed, for the first time, a causal link between chronic loneliness and early death among middle-aged Australian women.
The research, published Monday, analyzed two decades of data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, which followed over 57,000 participants.
The findings showed that women aged 48 to 55 who consistently reported feeling lonely over a 15-year period were three times more likely to die prematurely than those who did not report persistent loneliness.
According to researchers from the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, and Western Sydney University, the risk of death among women without chronic loneliness was 5 percent. That risk jumped to 15 percent among those who experienced ongoing loneliness, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Loneliness is a risk factor that should be screened for by clinicians, just as we screen for high blood pressure or cholesterol,” said lead author Neta HaGani. “We also need to raise public awareness about loneliness to help demystify and destigmatize it.”
Professor Melody Ding, senior author of the study from the University of Sydney, noted that middle-aged women often face a unique set of challenges. Many serve as primary caregivers for both young children and aging parents while also navigating major life transitions like menopause, retirement, or children leaving home—factors that can contribute significantly to social isolation.
Published in BMJ Medicine, the study also identified a dose-dependent relationship: the more frequently loneliness was reported, the higher the risk of early death.
While similar long-term data for men is lacking, Ding emphasized that midlife is a transitional period that may have more severe consequences for women. (Source: IANS)
