{
  "abstract": "Background Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly being recognised as public health issues. However, despite them being conceptually different constructs with independent impacts on health, understanding of the levels and distribution of social isolation in Wales is limited in comparison to loneliness. This study measured levels of social isolation at a population-level and by socio-demographics to identify where policy intervention is required.Methods Data were collected in February 2025 as part of a nationally representative panel survey in Wales (Time to Talk Public Health), involving 2,042 residents aged 16+ years. Social isolation was measured using three questions (frequency of visiting friends and family, engagement in community activities, and household composition). Demographic data included age, sex, area-level deprivation (Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation), ethnicity and disability. A multi-method approach to data collection was used involving online, telephone and face-to-face surveys.Results Preliminary analyses showed that 12% of respondents were socially isolated. Those aged 50–69 years reported the highest level of social isolation (18.5%), followed by those aged 70+ years (12.8%), 30-49 years (11.7%) and 16-29 years (3.4%, X2 = 45.39). Respondents who reported having a disability had higher levels of social isolation (18.5%) than those who did not report a disability (8.2%, X2 = 48.54). No significant differences were found by sex, deprivation or ethnicity. In binary logistic regression, controlling for socio-demographics, social isolation remained significantly associated with age (50-69 years, AOR = 6.07 [95% CI 3.22–11.44], compared with 16-29 years) and disability (AOR = 2.22 [95% CI 1.68–2.93], compared with no disability).Conclusion Social isolation is evident in Wales, with levels varying across age and disability. Expanding national surveillance to routinely measure social isolation alongside loneliness could help to identify and inform policy and interventions that can be targeted efficiently to achieve greatest impact among those at risk.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Policy and International Health WHO Collaboration Centre, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Carys Dale"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Policy and International Health WHO Collaboration Centre, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Catherine Sharp"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Policy and International Health WHO Collaboration Centre, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sara Wood"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Policy and International Health WHO Collaboration Centre, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Karen Hughes"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P11-4 Understanding the level of social isolation in Wales by socio-demographics: findings from a cross-sectional survey",
  "uid": "ca552bba-587c-5a98-9b9f-0a1233a37634"
}