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Presenter: Jessica Ann Liversedge

Faculty Sponsor: Gloria DiFulvio

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Public Health and Epidemiology

Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, 163, C8

ABSTRACT

Loneliness can have significant effects on physical and mental health. College students specifically face heightened risks due to transitional life changes, difficulty forming new social connections, and separation from prior support systems. Research has shown that up to 64.7% of college students feel lonely and has linked loneliness to increased risks of heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, and even early mortality. Despite the extensive literature on loneliness and its consequences, there is a significant gap in research on how medical providers, particularly those in primary care settings on college campuses, are trained to recognize and address loneliness among college students. The purpose of this thesis is to review the literature and propose an evidence-based toolkit with screening tools and effective interventions to address loneliness that can be integrated into primary care settings. I completed a literature review on loneliness and social connection using multiple databases to identify peer review studies conducted in the past 25 years. For this presentation, I will provide a summary of the current literature on primary care and loneliness in college students. I will also discuss elements of the toolkit which includes information on screening tools, social prescribing, and targeted interventions that can be implemented in primary care settings to address loneliness in college students. These interventions include ways to connect students to campus and community resources, and patient-centered approaches aimed at fostering meaningful social connections.