Table 1 Overview of included documents (n = 23 documents, 14 countries)
From: Addressing loneliness and social isolation in 52 countries: a scoping review of National policies
Country [abbr.] (source) | Document Name | Document Type | Government Department | Year | Identifiable funding pledge? | Intervention proposed? | Target group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albania [AL] [35] | The National Action Plan on Aging | Action Plan | Ministry of Health & Social Protection | 2019 | Yes | Yes | Older adults (aged 65+) |
Social Isolation & Loneliness | Government website | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | 2021 | Yes | Yes | General population | |
A National Strategy to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation | Strategy | Hosted at The Treasury of the Australian Government. Strategy produced by Ending Loneliness Together in partnership with R U OK? and the Australian Psychological Society | 2021 | Yes (call for funding) | Yes | Government | |
Understanding and Defining Loneliness & Social Isolation | Resource sheet | Australian Institute of Family Studies, Dept of Social Services | 2022 | No | Yes | General population, with specific vulnerable groups | |
Austria [AT]Â [38] | Overcoming Loneliness | Government website | Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection | 2023 | No | Yes | General population |
Report on the Social Isolation of Seniors | Technical Report | National Seniors Council | 2014 | No | No | Older adults (aged 65+) | |
A Profile of Social Isolation in Canada | Technical Report | Hosted at Ministry of Health. Report produced by university researchers | 2006 | No | No | Older adults (aged 65+) | |
Czechia [CZ] [41] | Social Inclusion Strategy 2021–2030 | Strategy | Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs | 2019 | No | Yes | General population |
The Danish National Strategy Against Loneliness | Strategy | 2 NGOs: Ældre Sagen (= The Elderly Association), General Red Cross on behalf of the national government | 2023 | Yes (call for funding) | No | General population | |
Danish Action Plan Against Loneliness | Action Plan | 2 NGOs: Ældre Sagen (= The Elderly Association), General Red Cross on behalf of the national government | 2023 | Yes | Yes | General population | |
Germany [DE] [44] | Loneliness - recognising, evaluating & resolutely confronting it | Technical Report | Committee for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth | 2021 | No | Yes | General population |
Ireland [IE] [45] | Stronger together- The HSE Mental Health Promotion plan 2022–2027 | Strategy | Health Service Executive Ireland Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme + National working Group | 2022 | No | Yes | General population, with specific vulnerable groups |
Italy [IT] [46] | Policies for active ageing in Italy: what are the possible objectives? | Policy | Family Department | 2022 | No (only mentions need for funding) | Yes | Older adults (aged 65+) |
Malta [MT] [47] | National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing 2023–2030 | Policy | Ministry for Senior Citizens and Active Ageing | 2022 | No | Yes | Older adults (aged 65+) |
Netherlands [NL] [48] | One against loneliness. Action programme 2022–2025. | Action Plan | Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport | 2022 | Yes | Yes | General population, with specific vulnerable groups |
Social resources as health protection: Mode of action and dissemination in the Swiss population and in Europe | Technical Report | Swiss Health Observatory | 2014 | No | No | General population, with specific vulnerable groups | |
Social resources: Promotion of social resources as an important contribution to mental health, health and a high quality of life | Technical Report | Health Promotion Switzerland | 2020 | No | No | General population, with specific vulnerable groups | |
Emerging Together: The Tackling Loneliness Network Action Plan | Action Plan | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2021 | Yes | Yes | General population, with specific vulnerable groups | |
A connected society - A strategy for tackling loneliness | Strategy | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 2018 | Yes | Yes | General population | |
Wellbeing in Northern Ireland | Technical Report | NISRA, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency | 2022 | No | No | people aged 16 and over in Northern Ireland | |
Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System | Study | The National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine | 2020 | No | Yes | Older adults (aged 65+) | |
Addressing Social Isolation to Improve the Health of Older Adults: A Rapid Review | Study | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US Department of Health and Human Services) | 2019 | No | Yes | Older adults (aged 65+) | |
Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. | Advisory | U.S. Public Health Service | 2023 | No | Yes (broadly phrased) | General population |