Abstract
Research suggests that lonely and socially isolated individuals are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the cumulative effects of poor relationships on health are unknown. We investigated how repeated exposure to loneliness and social isolation (and changes in exposure over time) affects CVD risk, using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (7,096 men and women aged 50+, 2004–2012). Analyses were conducted using discrete-time survival models and established CVD risk factors. Across the 8-year follow-up, loneliness, but not social isolation, predicted increased risk of coronary heart disease. We found no evidence of a cumulative effect on CVD risk of loneliness and social isolation over time. Our findings suggest that primary prevention is likely to be most effective for tackling the adverse health effects of loneliness.