abstract: 'Social connectedness is essential for health and longevity, while

  isolation exacts a heavy toll on individuals and society. We present

  U.S. social connectedness magnitudes and trends as target phenomena to

  inform calls for policy-based approaches to promote social health. Using

  the 2003-2020 American Time Use Survey, this study finds that,

  nationally, social isolation increased, social engagement with family,

  friends, and `others'' (roommates, neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers,

  clients, etc.) decreased, and companionship (shared leisure and

  recreation) decreased. Joinpoint analysis showed that the pandemic

  exacerbated upward trends in social isolation and downward trends in

  non-household family, friends, and `others'' social engagement. However,

  household family social engagement and companionship showed signs of

  progressive decline years prior to the pandemic, at a pace not eclipsed

  by the pandemic. Work hours emerged as a structural constraint to social

  engagement. Sub-groups allocated social engagement differently across

  different relationship roles. Social engagement with friends, others,

  and in companionship plummeted for young Americans. Black Americans

  experienced more social isolation and less social engagement, overall,

  relative to other races. Hispanics experienced much less social

  isolation than non-Hispanics. Older adults spent more time in social

  isolation, but also relatively more time in companionship. Women spent

  more time with family while men spent more time with friends and in

  compan-ionship. And, men''s social connectedness decline was steeper than

  for women. Finally, low-income Americans are more socially engaged with

  `others'' than those with higher income. We discuss potential avenues of

  future research and policy initiatives that emerge from our findings.'
affiliation: 'Kannan, VD (Corresponding Author), Univ Rochester, Dept Psychiat, 300
  Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY 14642 USA.

  Kannan, Viji Diane, Univ Rochester, Dept Psychiat, 300 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester,
  NY 14642 USA.

  Veazie, Peter J., Univ Rochester, Dept Publ Hlth Sci, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester,
  NY 14642 USA.'
article-number: '101331'
author: Kannan, Viji Diane and Veazie, Peter J.
author-email: 'viji\_kannan@urmc.rochester.edu

  peter\_veazie@urmc.rochester.edu'
author_list:
- family: Kannan
  given: Viji Diane
- family: Veazie
  given: Peter J.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101331
files: []
issn: 2352-8273
journal: SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
keywords: Friends; Family; Health disparities; American Time Use Survey
keywords-plus: 'CORONARY-HEART-DISEASE; BASE-LINE-THEORY; RISK-FACTORS; FRIEND

  RELATIONSHIPS; OLDER-ADULTS; SELF-CARE; LONELINESS; HEALTH; MORTALITY;

  SUPPORT'
language: English
month: MAR
number-of-cited-references: '75'
orcid-numbers: Kannan, Viji Diane/0000-0001-8346-369X
papis_id: 135cbc16571b7e2e592c61a076cdc0bf
ref: Kannan2023ustrends
times-cited: '4'
title: US trends in social isolation, social engagement, and companionship ? nationally
  and by age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income, and work hours, 2003-2020
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:001060774600001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '1'
volume: '21'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2023'