Redaccion
The Alicante Provincial Council will promote a Strategic Plan to combat loneliness in the province, following the results of a study conducted by a research team from the University of Alicante (UA), which reveals that 29% of the population in the province experiences severe or very severe loneliness, and up to 44.8% experiences it moderately.
The diagnosis, funded by the provincial institution, has analyzed the factors that contribute to loneliness and social isolation, «identifying older people, young people notably, and also the population in situations of social precarity as particularly vulnerable groups, as well as risk factors that require a coordinated institutional response,» as stated by the provincial institution in a press release.
The Deputy for Social Welfare, Loreto Serrano, presented the results of this study on Saturday alongside the Vice Chancellor for Equality, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility at the UA, Carmen Vives, and the associate professor from the Department of Social Work and Social Services at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the UA, José Antonio Rabadán, who led the research.
«At the Alicante Provincial Council, we are fully aware of the importance of this phenomenon, and therefore, we will lead a coordinated and effective response that can improve the quality of life of citizens,» highlighted Serrano, who emphasized the study as «a starting point to address loneliness from a comprehensive and supportive perspective.»
In this regard, the research – conducted in 2024 through a questionnaire on a sample of 1,898 people over 18 years old residing in the province – considered various sociodemographic, health, and quality of life variables.
Based on the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) – a tool used to measure the degree of loneliness a person feels in their daily life – the results show that 29% of respondents experience severe or very severe loneliness and up to 44.80% experience moderate loneliness.
Regarding sociodemographic variables, the diagnosis establishes that there are «no substantial differences» between men and women and that the perception of overall and emotional loneliness decreases with age, except from 75 years old onwards, when it increases again.
DEEPENING INTO YOUNG PEOPLE
The study highlights, as noted by José Antonio Rabadán, the prevalence of loneliness among young people (18 to 25 years old) from the survey – 6.27 points out of 11 – so «in the coming months, further research will be conducted in this age group to try to determine the possible factors that influence this aspect, such as ‘hyper digital connection’.»
On the other hand, married or partnered individuals also have a lower perception of loneliness than single, widowed, or divorced individuals, while education, employment status, and economic level are also protective factors against loneliness. Thus, individuals with no education, no paid employment, or a low economic level score higher on the DJGLS scale, exceeding 6 points in these cases.
The study also reveals that the neighborhood fabric «is unraveling,» while work relationships are growing. The UA professor also detailed that, taking into account health and quality of life, the analysis shows that the greater the daily difficulties, the greater the emotional and health problems, and the lower the physical activity levels, the higher the perception of loneliness, reaching up to 9.77 out of 11 when lacking social support.
It is in this latter aspect that Rabadán emphasizes the need for strategies to be developed by public administrations and associations to combat the loneliness phenomenon.
«INTERVENTION PROGRAMS»
Therefore, Serrano has announced that the Provincial Council will lead, together with the UA and with the collaboration of the associative fabric of the province, a Strategic Plan against Loneliness «that will allow for the implementation of intervention programs throughout the province.»
«This plan will seek to coordinate efforts between local administrations, third sector entities, and other key agents with the aim of designing and implementing effective measures to reduce social isolation,» she emphasized.
The drafting of this plan will be carried out throughout this year, so that it is ready by 2026 for a four-year period, as specified by the UA professor.
Finally, the Vice Chancellor for Equality, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility at the UA, Carmen Vives, stated that «collaboration between the Provincial Council and the University is crucial to develop solid and effective strategies against loneliness based on scientific evidence and oriented towards practical solutions.»
