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Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities

Becky Band Orcid Logo, Anne Rogers

Health Expectations, Volume: 27, Issue: 6, Start page: e70111

Swansea University Author: Becky Band Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/hex.70111

Abstract

Background: Addressing loneliness, which is associated with poor mental and physical health, implicates the need for connectivity to a broad set of situated relationships and activities in the contexts of people's everyday lives. Social engagement has been identified as a relevant psychosocial...

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Published in: Health Expectations
ISSN: 1369-6513 1369-7625
Published: Wiley 2024
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68323
first_indexed 2024-11-25T14:21:51Z
last_indexed 2024-12-02T19:47:22Z
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Social engagement has been identified as a relevant psychosocial mechanism mediating health and wellness and is central to addressing loneliness. The aim here is to explore the way in which people identified as lonely conceptualise their experiences of loneliness and social engagement for the purposes of incorporating these into the design and workings of an intervention that allows people to map their social networks and connect them to community-based valued activities. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 20 participants, aged 21&#x2013;82 years old (mean age 59.7) nested within a pragmatic, community-based randomised controlled trial in the north and south of England. Participants had wide-ranging social network sizes (from 1 to 10 individuals) and reported variable impact of loneliness on their lives. Results: Loneliness consisted as an absence of intimacy in the face of being surrounded by others, a sense of entrapment and boredom, lacking access to meaningful activities and difficulties in relating to others. The analysis highlighted the role that important relationships have in mediating loneliness. Individual readiness, skills and confidence in forming new connections and engaging with new activities are important barriers that exist in overcoming loneliness. For many, wider socio-political factors, such as transport provision, availability of resources and costs associated with social engagement are also important barriers which are difficult to overcome. Implications: Exploring the link between feelings, experiences and meaning of loneliness and the way in which a network intervention can be incorporated offers a focus for mediating the richness and opportunities that arise from locality-based connections and collective activities in the broader social environment. However, any intervention seeking to address loneliness requires a further focus on both individual and relational factors which might contribute to addressing loneliness and increasing a sense of wellness. Patient or Public Contribution: The study team worked closely with community partner organisations in all aspects of this research, including, the submission of the funding proposal, development of the study protocol and procedures, recruitment, intervention deployment and assessment of implementation. PPI representatives provided advice on participant materials and interview schedules, and project management throughout and contributed to management and steering committee meetings.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Health Expectations</journal><volume>27</volume><journalNumber>6</journalNumber><paginationStart>e70111</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Wiley</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint>1369-6513</issnPrint><issnElectronic>1369-7625</issnElectronic><keywords>Loneliness, qualitative research, social engagement. social isolation, social networks</keywords><publishedDay>1</publishedDay><publishedMonth>12</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2024</publishedYear><publishedDate>2024-12-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1111/hex.70111</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Health and Social Care School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>HSOC</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Another institution paid the OA fee</apcterm><funders>This research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Public Health Research programme (Grant Reference Number 16/08/41).</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2024-12-02T14:39:55.2176340</lastEdited><Created>2024-11-22T15:19:30.1901683</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Health and Social Care - Public Health</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Becky</firstname><surname>Band</surname><orcid>0000-0001-5403-1708</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Anne</firstname><surname>Rogers</surname><order>2</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2024-12-02T14:39:55.2176340 v2 68323 2024-11-22 Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities 06b53a31f254b004de8649a376ce2fbd 0000-0001-5403-1708 Becky Band Becky Band true false 2024-11-22 HSOC Background: Addressing loneliness, which is associated with poor mental and physical health, implicates the need for connectivity to a broad set of situated relationships and activities in the contexts of people's everyday lives. Social engagement has been identified as a relevant psychosocial mechanism mediating health and wellness and is central to addressing loneliness. The aim here is to explore the way in which people identified as lonely conceptualise their experiences of loneliness and social engagement for the purposes of incorporating these into the design and workings of an intervention that allows people to map their social networks and connect them to community-based valued activities. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 20 participants, aged 21–82 years old (mean age 59.7) nested within a pragmatic, community-based randomised controlled trial in the north and south of England. Participants had wide-ranging social network sizes (from 1 to 10 individuals) and reported variable impact of loneliness on their lives. Results: Loneliness consisted as an absence of intimacy in the face of being surrounded by others, a sense of entrapment and boredom, lacking access to meaningful activities and difficulties in relating to others. The analysis highlighted the role that important relationships have in mediating loneliness. Individual readiness, skills and confidence in forming new connections and engaging with new activities are important barriers that exist in overcoming loneliness. For many, wider socio-political factors, such as transport provision, availability of resources and costs associated with social engagement are also important barriers which are difficult to overcome. Implications: Exploring the link between feelings, experiences and meaning of loneliness and the way in which a network intervention can be incorporated offers a focus for mediating the richness and opportunities that arise from locality-based connections and collective activities in the broader social environment. However, any intervention seeking to address loneliness requires a further focus on both individual and relational factors which might contribute to addressing loneliness and increasing a sense of wellness. Patient or Public Contribution: The study team worked closely with community partner organisations in all aspects of this research, including, the submission of the funding proposal, development of the study protocol and procedures, recruitment, intervention deployment and assessment of implementation. PPI representatives provided advice on participant materials and interview schedules, and project management throughout and contributed to management and steering committee meetings. Journal Article Health Expectations 27 6 e70111 Wiley 1369-6513 1369-7625 Loneliness, qualitative research, social engagement. social isolation, social networks 1 12 2024 2024-12-01 10.1111/hex.70111 COLLEGE NANME Health and Social Care School COLLEGE CODE HSOC Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee This research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Public Health Research programme (Grant Reference Number 16/08/41). 2024-12-02T14:39:55.2176340 2024-11-22T15:19:30.1901683 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Health and Social Care - Public Health Becky Band 0000-0001-5403-1708 1 Anne Rogers 2
title Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
spellingShingle Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
Becky Band
title_short Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
title_full Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
title_fullStr Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
title_full_unstemmed Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
title_sort Understanding the Meaning of Loneliness and Social Engagement for the Workings of a Social Network Intervention Connecting People to Resources and Valued Activities
author_id_str_mv 06b53a31f254b004de8649a376ce2fbd
author_id_fullname_str_mv 06b53a31f254b004de8649a376ce2fbd_***_Becky Band
author Becky Band
author2 Becky Band
Anne Rogers
format Journal article
container_title Health Expectations
container_volume 27
container_issue 6
container_start_page e70111
publishDate 2024
institution Swansea University
issn 1369-6513
1369-7625
doi_str_mv 10.1111/hex.70111
publisher Wiley
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Health and Social Care - Public Health{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Health and Social Care - Public Health
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description Background: Addressing loneliness, which is associated with poor mental and physical health, implicates the need for connectivity to a broad set of situated relationships and activities in the contexts of people's everyday lives. Social engagement has been identified as a relevant psychosocial mechanism mediating health and wellness and is central to addressing loneliness. The aim here is to explore the way in which people identified as lonely conceptualise their experiences of loneliness and social engagement for the purposes of incorporating these into the design and workings of an intervention that allows people to map their social networks and connect them to community-based valued activities. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 20 participants, aged 21–82 years old (mean age 59.7) nested within a pragmatic, community-based randomised controlled trial in the north and south of England. Participants had wide-ranging social network sizes (from 1 to 10 individuals) and reported variable impact of loneliness on their lives. Results: Loneliness consisted as an absence of intimacy in the face of being surrounded by others, a sense of entrapment and boredom, lacking access to meaningful activities and difficulties in relating to others. The analysis highlighted the role that important relationships have in mediating loneliness. Individual readiness, skills and confidence in forming new connections and engaging with new activities are important barriers that exist in overcoming loneliness. For many, wider socio-political factors, such as transport provision, availability of resources and costs associated with social engagement are also important barriers which are difficult to overcome. Implications: Exploring the link between feelings, experiences and meaning of loneliness and the way in which a network intervention can be incorporated offers a focus for mediating the richness and opportunities that arise from locality-based connections and collective activities in the broader social environment. However, any intervention seeking to address loneliness requires a further focus on both individual and relational factors which might contribute to addressing loneliness and increasing a sense of wellness. Patient or Public Contribution: The study team worked closely with community partner organisations in all aspects of this research, including, the submission of the funding proposal, development of the study protocol and procedures, recruitment, intervention deployment and assessment of implementation. PPI representatives provided advice on participant materials and interview schedules, and project management throughout and contributed to management and steering committee meetings.
published_date 2024-12-01T08:30:37Z
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