Loneliness and social infrastructure in rural America: A cross-sectional analysis of existing relationships

Abstract

Loneliness can have deleterious effects on mental, physical and behavioral health. Growing research suggests the important role of social infrastructure in preventing and addressing loneliness. However, much of this work focuses on urban-based case studies, narrow definitions of social infrastructure, and crude measures of use. In addition, research in this area has not taken into account confounding factors that may be explaining this relationship. In this paper, we use a cross-sectional survey of a demographically representative sample (N = 1129) of working-age adults in rural America to examine if a relationship exists between loneliness and multiple types of social infrastructure utilization among rural working-age adults. We also determine if contact with family and friends (i.e. being less socially isolated) explains this relationship. We find that spending >10 min talking with others in coffee shops, diners, and cafes, salons and barbershops, and religious and spiritual organizations in an average week was associated with a significantly lower odds of screening positive for loneliness compared to those who do not go to these places, even after controlling for level of contact with family and friends and other sociodemographic covariates. This relationship was not present for those who use fast food outlets, fitness or recreation places, or libraries, civic organizations and community centers. Implications for future research and for community-level interventions to prevent loneliness are discussed.