Physicians are calling for primary care doctors to ask patients about loneliness and social isolation at routine health checks and when managing chronic diseases as emerging research suggests it could be just as important as checking blood pressure, heart health and lifestyle factors for health outcomes.
Loneliness and social isolation can lead to a number of negative mental and physical health problems, according to research, and doctors say it’s important to discuss this topic in routine health visits and when managing chronic diseases. “Patients should know that this is a common lived experience and may contribute to their emotional and physical health and health outcomes,” Dr. Mylynda Massart, family medicine physician, founder and director, UPMC Primary Care Precision Medicine Center and chair of Family Medicine at UPMC Magee Women’s Hospital told ABC News.
Doctors say people can do their own self-assessment by asking questions like, “how often do you speak to someone outside of the home, are those meaningful conversations, do you feel fulfilled by your social interactions or do you think there is a gap in your social interactions and do these interactions impact your satisfaction with your current life situation,” Massart said.
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