Research results have shown that single-person households have a significantly higher risk of early death compared to multi-person households.
The proportion of single-person households in South Korea is rapidly increasing. Predictions suggest it will rise from 33.4% in 2021 to about 40% by 2050.
Single-person households are known to have fewer social relationships and are at risk of health deterioration due to various reasons such as psychological stress and nutritional imbalance. However, most studies on the mortality risk of single-person households have been conducted on a small scale until now.
In this regard, the Disease Control Agency's National Health Research Institute analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation (about 2.44 million people) and large cohort data from the UK Biobank (about 500,000 people) to analyze the health risks of single-person households in both Eastern and Western contexts.
The analysis revealed that the mortality risk for single-person households is 25% higher for Koreans and 23% higher for Britons compared to multi-person households living with family. In particular, the risk of 'early death' before age 65 was found to be 25% for single-person households in Korea and 43% for those in the UK. This trend was more pronounced when living alone for more than five years, and the risk significantly increased for those who smoke continuously or belong to low-income groups.
The most significant factor affecting mortality risk was income, accounting for 42.3% of the total risk increase. Feelings of social deprivation (25.9%), smoking status (14.8%), loneliness (10.9%), and depression (6.3%) followed.
The risk of developing major diseases also increased uniformly. The impact of cardiovascular diseases was the greatest, with influences from diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cancer, and kidney diseases observed.
The most effective way to reduce the mortality risk for single-person households was 'lifestyle correction.' According to the research team, single-person households that practiced all healthy lifestyle habits, such as non-smoking, moderate drinking, and regular exercise, had a 57% lower overall mortality risk and a 44% lower risk of early death compared to those who did not manage their lifestyle.
Nam Jae-hwan, the director of the National Health Research Institute, stated, "The increase in single-person households is a global demographic change, and this study has proven that the isolation and deterioration of lifestyle among single individuals are key variables affecting health. We have confirmed that the health vulnerabilities caused by living alone can be significantly overcome through lifestyle improvements."
The results of this study were recently published in the international journal 《Mayo Clinic Proceedings》.
