Content created by Office of the Surgeon General
Social connection can transform our whole health and well-being.
Advisory: The Healing Effects of Social Connection
Connection plays a critical role in individual, community, and societal health. This advisory calls attention to that role and offers a framework for how we can all contribute to improving social connection.
Download advisory, opens in a new tab [PDF, 8.79 MB]
Download one-page summary, opens in a new tab [PDF, 4.93 MB]
Content Warning: This page contains references to suicide.
Social Connection Fact Cards
Social Connection Fact Card
Living in isolation reduces our chances of survival and social isolation increases the risk for premature mortality by 29%.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Poor social relationships, social isolation, and loneliness can increase your risk of heart disease by 29% and risk of stroke by 32%.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Smaller social network size is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and of other diabetic complications including heart attacks and kidney disease.1,2
Social Connection Fact Card
Among older adults, chronic loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia by approximately 50%.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Being more socially connected can improve stress responses and minimize the negative health effects of stress.1,2
Social Connection Fact Card
People with strong perceptions of community belongingness are 2.6 times more likely to report good or excellent health than people with a low sense of belongingness.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Children and adolescents who enjoy positive relationships with their peers, parents, and teachers experience improved academic outcomes.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Social isolation, or even the perception of isolation, can increase inflammation in the body to the same degree as physical inactivity.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Adults who report feeling lonely often are more than twice as likely to develop depression as adults who report rarely or never feeling lonely.1
Social Connection Fact Card
Social support from friends and family is associated with improved hypertension and diabetes management.1,2,3,4
Social Connection Fact Card
Immersion in local community-based activities such as volunteering significantly increases the likelihood of unemployed individuals becoming employed.1,2,3
Social Connection Fact Card
Loneliness and poor social support have been found to significantly contribute to the development and severity of illnesses after exposure to viruses.1,2
How Can We Take Action Together?
How do we put this important information to practical use in our society? The Surgeon General has created a Framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection. This details the critical and actionable next steps that individuals, communities, organizations, and governments can take to foster social connection.
We all have a role to play in fostering social connection. Click on your role below to view recommendations and resources in our Resources Library.
- Individuals
- Parents & Caregivers
- Community-Based Organizations
- Schools & Education Departments
- Workplaces
- Health Workers, Systems, & Insurers
- Public Health Professionals
- Governments
- Media & Entertainment
- Technology Companies
- Researchers
- Philanthropy Groups
Spread the word with these shareable tools
This graphic explains relationship factors that contribute to an individual’s social connection.
This document includes information about the National Strategy to Advance Social Connection and recommendations for key stakeholders to foster greater social connection.
This graphic communicates the three pathways through which social connection has an impact on overall health.
This graphic shows national trends in social isolation and social connection behaviors from 2003 to 2020.
This graphic communicates the Surgeon General’s Framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection.
This graphic communicates the factors—from individual to societal—that play a role in shaping social connection.
This slide includes the key takeaways from the advisory.
This document includes the key takeaways from the advisory.
This one-page document includes information and recommendations for an individual to foster greater social connection in their life.
This one-page document includes information and recommendations for educators and administrators to foster greater social connection in schools.
This one-page document includes information and recommendations for parents and caregivers to foster greater social connection in their children’s lives.
This PDF includes 12 social connection fact cards that highlight the negative impact that social isolation and loneliness has on individual and community level health and well-being.