New study links loneliness to greater stroke risk in older people

BOSTON -- Loneliness is a major public health issue and recent studies have shown the devastating effects on one's health and well-being, including putting older adults at higher risk of stroke.

According to a recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association , one in three American adults reports feeling lonely every week, with 10% of that group saying they feel it every day. Previous studies have linked loneliness with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but research out of Harvard focused specifically on stroke risk.

Researchers looked at data on more than 12,000 adults who were 50 years and older, and found a 56% greater risk of stroke for people who experienced chronic loneliness compared to those who said they weren't lonely.

Now, researchers are looking more closely at why chronic loneliness raises stroke risk.