Loneliness declared a public health emergency in part of Silicon Valley, California
The decision in San Mateo County is partly inspired by the UK and Japan, where ministers for loneliness, a condition that has been linked to heart disease, strokes and Alzheimer's disease, have been introduced.
Thursday 8 February 2024 08:35, UK
Loneliness has been declared a public health emergency in a Californian county that includes part of Silicon Valley.
San Mateo County is the first in the US to make such a declaration.
About 17% of US adults questioned by Gallup in February last year said they had experienced loneliness the day before.
In San Mateo, however, about 45% of residents are struggling with isolation, according to David Canepa from the county's board of supervisors.
Across the US there is an "epidemic of loneliness and isolation", US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy has said.
It is an "underappreciated public health crisis" which has "harmed individual and societal health", he added.
Concerns in San Mateo are not confined to one demographic, Mr Canepa said.
Teenagers and young adults spend a long time on social media, he pointed out, while Silicon Valley's high-achieving atmosphere may put stress on those still in education.
Many older residents became especially isolated during the pandemic, he added.
'Perfect storm'
"It's sort of a perfect storm for older adults right now," said Jennifer Steele, CEO of Meals on Wheels San Francisco.
"People don't live close to their loved ones anymore. Sometimes people have outlived their loved ones.
"Your social circle shrinks after retirement," she added. "It's harder for people to make friends. We're often the only people they may see in a week."
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Mr Canepa said the decision to declare a crisis was influenced by the UK and Japan, where ministers for loneliness, a condition that has been linked to heart disease, strokes and Alzheimer's disease, have been introduced.
May strategy
In 2016 the then prime minister, Theresa May, introduced the first cross-government strategy to tackle loneliness.
At the time, three-quarters of GPs said in a survey they were seeing between one and five people a day who were feeling isolated.
Mr Canepa has written to Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, calling for a state-wide minister for loneliness.
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There are several ideas to improve social connections in San Mateo, including changes to infrastructure to make it easier to walk around neighbourhoods, and partnering with social media platforms based in the state to encourage residents to join community groups.