elderly women[/caption]Carol Forsloff----If you are among those who shrink from social interaction or you live in a remote area where you don't see other people much, research says that can be as bad, or even worse, for your health than smoking.
In fact social isolation is a predictor of mortality, as much or more than other factors like smoking, obesity or high cholesterol.
New research from the American Journal of Public Health reports the findings of researchers who analyzed social isolation by reviewing marital or partnership status, frequency of contact with other people, participation in religious activities and participation in other club or organizational events. Those who don't participate with others have been found to have a higher likelihood of death than those who are interactive and social.
Infrequent religious activity, being unmarried and being socially isolated in general individually predicts mortality of both men and women.
The authors write, “Our findings highlight the value of isolation as a risk factor for mortality and emphasize the clinical importance of understanding a patient's social integration and support.
25% of men over age 75 live alone and nearly half of women 75 and older, many of them by choice, although seniors relate they do this as a way of being independent and because they don't want to be an imposition on children. It is this group that scientists maintain need to be given extra support during aging and that society should reach out to seniors who are isolated.
