Loneliness and its Relationship with Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

<jats:p>Loneliness has profound harmful effects on health. This includes the respiratory system. Several studies have documented its deleterious effects on COPD, asthma, lung cancer, respiratory infections, and even interstitial lung diseases. Further, these patients are often burdened with several chronic co-morbidities, which often further worsen respiratory ailments. Lonely individuals also are noncompliant with several lifestyles which may negatively affect the respiratory system. And finally, lonely people tend to delay health evaluation and are often noncompliant with health recommendations. All these factors make lonely individuals at greater risk, increased severity, and poorer prognosis of respiratory disorders. Further, chronic respiratory diseases can also induce or worsen preexisting loneliness. This narrative manuscript narratively reviews the harmful effects of loneliness on the commonly seen respiratory disorders.</jats:p>