Newcomers and loneliness
Newcomers are at increased risk of being lonely and socially isolated due to lack of social inclusion from mainstream society and the difficulties of establishing new social networks when moving to a new country. Keep scrolling for more information about loneliness among newcomers.
Chen et al. (2019)
Impacts of social integration and loneliness on mental health of humanitarian migrants in Australia: evidence from a longitudinal study
Survey Results
Primary finding: Humanitarian migrantswith increased social integration stressors reported poor general health (aOR:1.56, 95%CI:1.19-2.03); PTSD (aOR:1.67; 95%CI: 1.32-2.13); and SMI (aOR: 1.46; 95%CI: 1.15-1.86) over time when compared to those without stressors. Increased loneliness during resettlement was also associated with poor general health (aOR: 1.56; 95%CI:1.28-1.91); PTSD (aOR: 1.57; 95%CI: 1.28-1.93) and SMI (aOR: 1.59; 95%CI: 1.31-1.94). Migrants who reported overcoming loneliness (aOR:1.50, 95%CI: 1.24-1.83 for SMI and aOR:1.51; 95%CI: 1.22-1.86 for PTSD) and persistent loneliness (aOR:1.99; 95%CI: 1.51-2.61 for SMI) reported poorer mental health over time than those who did not report loneliness.
Lai et al. (2020)
Effectiveness of a peer-based intervention on loneliness and social isolation of older Chinese immigrants in Canada: a randomized controlled trial
Randomized Controlled Trial
Primary finding: Intervention group participants received an eight-week peer support intervention. Twenty-four volunteers aged 48 to 76 engaged in two-on-one peer support through home visits and telephone calls to provide emotional support, problem-solving support, and community resource sharing. The 30 intervention group participants showed a statistically significant decrease in loneliness and increase in resilience when compared to the 30 control group participants. They reported fewer barriers to social participation, fewer depressive symptoms, increased life satisfaction, and happiness while no such improvements were observed in the control group.
Hurtado-de-Mendoza et al. (2014)
Social isolation and perceived barriers to establishing social networks among Latina immigrants
Qualitative Study
Primary finding: Twenty-eight Latina immigrant women participated in an interview about traumatic experiences. Informal help seeking and the availability of friendships in the US were also queried. Frequent comparisons between experiences in their home countries and in the US shaped the emerging themes of social isolation and lack of social support. Women reported feeling lonely, isolated, closed-in, and less free in the US due to family separation and various obstacles to developing and maintaining relationships. Socioeconomic, environmental, and psychosocial barriers were offered as explanations for their limited social networks in the US. Understanding experiences of social isolation as well as barriers to forging social networks can help inform the development of social support interventions that can contribute to improved health among Latinos.
Negi et al. (2021)
"The solitude absorbs and it oppresses": 'Illegality' and its implications on Latino immigrant day laborers' social isolation, loneliness and health
Qualitative Study
Primary finding: Missing from such conceptualizations is a consideration of the role of structural factors, such as "illegality" among undocumented immigrant men, on experiences of social disconnection, social exclusion, social isolation and loneliness and resultant adverse health behaviors. This study, through in-depth qualitative participant narratives, explores the social condition of one group of "illegal" immigrant men, Latino immigrant day laborers (LIDL), and their experiences of social exclusion, social isolation, loneliness and health in the new immigrant settlement city of Baltimore. Using an ethnographic methodological approach, eight focus groups (N = 37) were conducted with participants recruited from two day labor sites from 2016 to 2019. Thematic analysis revealed a structural process of social exclusion and disconnection that exposed LIDLs to experiences of racism, structural vulnerability, and dehumanization which in turn may have heightened social isolation and loneliness and patterned substance use and sexual risk taking. Findings further emphasize the potential conceptual significance of structurally induced social disconnection, as distinct from lack of social support, in the study of LIDLs' social isolation, loneliness and health.
Guruge et al. (2019)
Understanding Social Network and Support for Older Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study
Mixed Methods Study
Primary finding: Comparative analyses of qualitative and quantitative data within and across sites will provide insights about common and unique factors that contribute to the well-being of older immigrants in different regions of Ontario. Given the comprehensive approach to incorporating local knowledge and expert contributions from multilevel stakeholders, the empirical and theoretical findings will be highly relevant to our community partners, help facilitate practice change, and improve the well-being of older men and women in immigrant communities.
Salma et al. (2020)
"Growing Old is not for the Weak of Heart": Social isolation and loneliness in Muslim immigrant older adults in Canada
Mixed Methods Study
Primary finding: Participants were asked about their experiences of growing old in Canada, unmet health and social needs, and community perspectives on healthy ageing. All data were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Interpreters were used for non-English speaking participants. Data were thematically analysed with a focus on social isolation and loneliness. Using an exclusion lens two major themes were identified: (a) intersections of exclusion: ageism, sexism, racism, and; (b) strategies for inclusion: local, national, transnational. Findings highlight both the vulnerability of Muslim immigrant older adults and their capacity for agency. The study findings point to the intersecting influences of exclusionary practices on social isolation and loneliness in immigrant older adults and the need to incorporate an exclusion lens in developing social policies and programs for healthy ageing.
Salma et al. (2020)
Social dimensions of health across the life course: Narratives of Arab immigrant women ageing in Canada
Qualitative Studies
Primary finding: This interpretive descriptive study uses a transnational life course framework to understand Arab Muslim immigrant women's experiences of engaging in health-promoting practices as they age in Canada. Women's stories highlight social dimensions of health such social connectedness, social roles and social support that are constructed and maintained within different migration contexts across the life course. Barriers and facilitators to healthy ageing in this population centred around five themes: (i) the necessity of staying strong, (ii) caring for self while caring for others, (iii) double jeopardy of chronic illnesses and loneliness, (iv) inadequate support within large social networks and (v) navigating access to health-supporting resources. The findings point to transnational connections and post-migration social support as major influencers in creating facilitators and barriers to healthy ageing for Arab Muslim immigrant women.