European Study Reveals Smoking Increases Loneliness and Social Isolation
A major European study presented at the ERS Congress in Barcelona reveals that smoking does not reduce loneliness but actively increases social isolation among older adults.
Many people view smoking as a social activity that brings people together during work breaks or outside entertainment venues. However, a major European study recently presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona paints a completely opposite picture: researchers state that smoking does not alleviate loneliness and actually leads to increased social isolation.
The research was led by Dr. Kir Philip, a respiratory and lung disease specialist from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London in the UK. According to Philip, while the negative health effects of smoking are well known, very few studies have examined how smoking impacts our social well-being.
"Previous studies suggested that loneliness leads to smoking, but the question of whether smoking itself causes loneliness has barely been examined," Dr. Philip explained at the congress. He noted that although cigarettes are often perceived as a social matter, physicians repeatedly witness how patients suffering from smoking-related illnesses become increasingly lonely and isolated from human society.
The Result: Loneliness and Neglect
To investigate this, researchers analyzed data from over 50,000 participants across 15 different countries who took part in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The researchers measured participants' sense of loneliness using a specialized questionnaire (the UCLA scale), which assesses how often a person feels a lack of companionship, neglected, or isolated from others.
The research team compared active smokers with non-smokers and followed up with the same questions two years later. The average age of the participants was 67, with about 22% being smokers at the start of the study, and approximately 48.5% having more than two chronic conditions.
The study results show that smokers were lonelier compared to non-smokers. This finding remained consistent even after researchers accounted for other potentially influencing factors, such as age or gender. Furthermore, people who smoked experienced a greater increase in loneliness levels over the two-year period compared to non-smokers. The researchers noted that these differences were consistent across Europe, with only minor regional variations.
"Smoking is associated with increased loneliness in older adults, showing that it may harm psychosocial health in addition to its physical effects," Dr. Philip noted.
Why Does Smoking Cause Social Alienation?
According to Dr. Philip, several possible explanations exist for why smoking leads to loneliness. One mechanism is that smoking-related diseases gradually worsen and limit a person's mobility, making it harder to leave the house and participate in social activities.
Another reason relates to social norms surrounding smoking. Smoking bans in public spaces, as well as informal restrictions on smoking in private homes, make these environments less welcoming for smokers, potentially reducing their opportunities for social gatherings.
Dr. Philip believes the next step is changing public perception on the matter: "Smoking is not a social activity; our research shows it leads to increased social isolation and loneliness. Spreading this message through various channels, from club and pub philosophies to public policy, will be critical—we must clarify the psychosocial consequences of smoking."
Professor Des Cox, an ERS advisory board member and clinical professor at University College Dublin in Ireland who was not involved in the study, commented on the findings: "This is important information for people who smoke. It is vital to support individuals who want to quit without stigmatizing them. These findings show that beyond physical harm, smoking also damages social and mental aspects. We must challenge the notion that smoking is 'social,' as evidence shows precisely the opposite."
Professor Cox concluded that since loneliness is now recognized as one of the central public health challenges of our time, the study highlights smoking as a significant risk factor for loneliness—yet one with effective treatments available. He stated that everything possible should be done to help smokers quit and prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine.
