Silicon Valley county declares loneliness a public health emergency

05 February 2024 , 11:08

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'This is a problem that has been building for decades in the US'

The Silicon Valley county has become the first US county to declare loneliness a public health emergency.

San Mateo’s Board of Supervisors in California pledged to promote social connection in the community as they passed a resolution declaring the emergency last week.

While this resolution does not dedicate direct funds to combating loneliness in America’s biggest tech hub, it signals the area’s commitment to tackling the issue, David Canepa, vice president of the Board of Supervisors said.

Mr Canepa added: "What we're trying to do is to really get people out of the corners and say, 'Hey, look, there are a lot of people who are feeling like you. You're not alone. And moving forward, here are some of the things that we can do to support you.'"

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The vice president pointed to the United Kingdom and Japan as inspiration for the new initiative, with both countries appointing government ministers to combat loneliness. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who last year called on governments to act now to end loneliness, also played a central role in inspiring the initiative.

Praising San Mateo’s efforts, Murthy wrote on X: “When I released my Surgeon General’s Advisory on loneliness, I outlined what localities can do to promote connection. Grateful to San Mateo County for becoming the first county in America to recognize loneliness as a public health emergency.”

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Murthy added: "This is a problem that has been building for decades in our country. COVID certainly worsened it and poured fuel on the fire. But that fire was burning before.”

45% of San Mateo residents reported suffering from bouts of loneliness, a 2022 county-led survey found. This marks a stark increase from the national average of 17%.

Loneliness has been found to impact both physical and mental health, with a UK study finding those who lived alone and were not visited by friends or family had a 39% increased risk of premature death when compared to those who had regular social contact.

Canepa pointed to increased social media use and the high-stress environment of Silicon Valley as key factors in the increase of loneliness throughout the county, with young people often feeling the pressure to excel academically.

“You have Stanford, which is in Palo Alto right next to our county line. You have all these educational institutions. People are dealing with, ‘Oh my God, I have to fill out my college recommendation. Oh, my goodness, what school am I going to get accepted to?’ There’s so much pressure on our young people,” the supervisor said.

The county’s Board of Supervisors hopes to use tax funds to boost walkability, invest in infrastructure and attract more tech companies to build offices in the area, Canepa said.

However, doctors have warned treating loneliness as a purely medical issue could see the root causes of the problem go unaddressed.

Doctors have warned loneliness can lead to other health risks and even premature death

David Sbarra, a psychology professor at the University of Arizona, warned those facing financial hardship could be more susceptible to loneliness.

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“If local governments increase the minimum wage, you might do more for loneliness than getting people to reappraise difficult events in their life," Sbarra told NBC News.

Some debate remains as to whether loneliness should be deemed a national epidemic, though, with a 2023 Gallup poll finding loneliness had declined since 2020 and 2021.

Henry Moore