Das leise Risiko: Einsamkeit und Gesundheit

Zusammenfassung

Einsamkeit hat stark an wissenschaftlicher und gesundheitspolitischer Relevanz gewonnen. Sie zeigt ein U-förmiges Muster über die Lebensspanne und betrifft besonders vulnerable Gruppen. Ihre Entstehung beruht auf einem Zusammenspiel individueller, relationaler und sozialräumlich-struktureller Faktoren. Längsschnitt- und Metaanalysen belegen klare Zusammenhänge mit psychischen Störungen, kardiometabolischen Erkrankungen, kognitiven Beeinträchtigungen und erhöhter Mortalität. Zugleich kann Einsamkeit durch gezielte Interventionen reduziert werden. Die Nutzung generativer KI als emotionale Begleitung wirft zusätzliche ethische und psychosoziale Fragen auf. Insgesamt bleibt Einsamkeit ein zentraler sozialer Risikofaktor, der integrierte, mehrstufige Maßnahmen erfordert.

Abstract

Loneliness has gained significant scientific and public health relevance. Prevalence follows a U-shaped pattern across the life course, with especially high rates in vulnerable groups. Its emergence reflects an interplay of individual, relational, community and structural factors. Longitudinal evidence links loneliness consistently to depression, anxiety, suicidality, cardiometabolic disease, cognitive decline and mortality. Targeted interventions can reduce loneliness, though the growing use of generative AI as emotional support introduces ethical and psychosocial concerns. Overall, loneliness is a key socially rooted risk factor that requires integrated, multi-level strategies for effective prevention and reduction.

Schlüsselwörter

Einsamkeit - soziale Isolation - soziale Determinanten - Gesundheit - Public Mental Health

Keywords

Loneliness - social isolation - social determinants - health - public mental health

Publication History

Received: 24 November 2025

Accepted after revision: 18 December 2025

Article published online:
23 February 2026

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