Cost-effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness among adults - A Systematic Literature Review
Bertolino, Annette ; Jarl, Johan LU
; Gerdtham, Ulf
LU
and Saha, Sanjib
LU
(2025)
In Value in Health
- Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and social isolation are major public health concerns that contribute to numerous health consequences. While many interventions effectively reduce loneliness and social isolation, their cost-effectiveness remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and consolidate evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness or social isolation.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of studies published until March 2024. A narrative synthesis of the selected studies was conducted to assess whether interventions for adults >18 were cost-effective, and we identified and discussed probable factors affecting cost-effectiveness. We assessed the reporting quality of the selected... (More)
OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and social isolation are major public health concerns that contribute to numerous health consequences. While many interventions effectively reduce loneliness and social isolation, their cost-effectiveness remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and consolidate evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness or social isolation.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of studies published until March 2024. A narrative synthesis of the selected studies was conducted to assess whether interventions for adults >18 were cost-effective, and we identified and discussed probable factors affecting cost-effectiveness. We assessed the reporting quality of the selected studies using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 (CHEERS-2).
RESULTS: We included 16 studies covering 18 distinct interventions. Group-based interventions addressing loneliness and social isolation appeared generally more likely to be cost-effective compared to individual-based interventions, as were those explicitly targeting lonely individuals and with longer time horizons. Most studies included a societal perspective (eight studies, ten interventions) and used quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) (eleven interventions). Eight interventions were reported to be cost-effective. Overall, the reporting quality was judged satisfactory, but none of the studies incorporated equity aspects, i.e., distributional cost-effectiveness analysis.
CONCLUSION: Group-based interventions appear generally cost-effective in reducing loneliness despite heterogeneities among studies. However, more research is required with homogenous methodology, for example, societal perspective and longer time horizon before routine implementation.
(Less)
- author
- Bertolino, Annette
; Jarl, Johan
LU
; Gerdtham, Ulf
LU
and Saha, Sanjib
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-07-19
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- in
- Value in Health
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:40691885
- ISSN
- 1098-3015
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jval.2025.07.006
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
- id
- a21b5098-1b08-4bca-aed3-48b02fd587d4
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-24 17:01:32
- date last changed
- 2025-07-25 10:28:38
@article{a21b5098-1b08-4bca-aed3-48b02fd587d4,
abstract = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and social isolation are major public health concerns that contribute to numerous health consequences. While many interventions effectively reduce loneliness and social isolation, their cost-effectiveness remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and consolidate evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness or social isolation.</p><p>METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of studies published until March 2024. A narrative synthesis of the selected studies was conducted to assess whether interventions for adults >18 were cost-effective, and we identified and discussed probable factors affecting cost-effectiveness. We assessed the reporting quality of the selected studies using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 (CHEERS-2).</p><p>RESULTS: We included 16 studies covering 18 distinct interventions. Group-based interventions addressing loneliness and social isolation appeared generally more likely to be cost-effective compared to individual-based interventions, as were those explicitly targeting lonely individuals and with longer time horizons. Most studies included a societal perspective (eight studies, ten interventions) and used quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) (eleven interventions). Eight interventions were reported to be cost-effective. Overall, the reporting quality was judged satisfactory, but none of the studies incorporated equity aspects, i.e., distributional cost-effectiveness analysis.</p><p>CONCLUSION: Group-based interventions appear generally cost-effective in reducing loneliness despite heterogeneities among studies. However, more research is required with homogenous methodology, for example, societal perspective and longer time horizon before routine implementation.</p>}},
author = {{Bertolino, Annette and Jarl, Johan and Gerdtham, Ulf and Saha, Sanjib}},
issn = {{1098-3015}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{07}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Value in Health}},
title = {{Cost-effectiveness of interventions addressing loneliness among adults - A Systematic Literature Review}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2025.07.006}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jval.2025.07.006}},
year = {{2025}},
}