This measure reflects the age-adjusted percentage of Utah adults who feel socially isolated. Results are gathered from "always" or "usually" responses to the following question on the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System:

How often do you feel socially isolated from others? Is it always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never?   

National data: The target value is based on the age-adjusted percentage of U.S adults who feel socially isolated from the national 2022 BRFSS data. 

Data source: 

• Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/query/result/brfss/LandlineCellAgeAdj5_Isolated/Isolated.html)

The lack of social connection poses a significant risk to your health and longevity. The mortality impact of socially disconnectedness is similar to that of smoking as many as 15 cigarettes a day. (Holt-Lunstad J, Robles TF, Sbarra DA. Advancing social connection as a public health priority in the United States. Am Psychol. 2017;72(6):517–530.) In 2022, a slightly lower (but not significantly different) percent of Utah adults reported feeling socially isolated (9.4%, 95% confidence interval: 8.6%-10.3%) compared to all U.S adults (10.2%. 95% confidence interval: 9.9%-10.6%).

The oldest adult age group (65+) were the least likely to indicate feelings of social isolation (Figure 1) even while the group as a whole might be more likely to have smaller social networks than the youth respondents (Child ST, Lawton L. Loneliness and social isolation among young and late middle-age adults: Associations with personal networks and social participation. Aging Ment Health. 2019 Feb;23(2):196–204. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1399345. Epub 2017 Nov 24. PMID: 29171764; PMCID: PMC5967985.).

Additional information on social isolation and loneliness among adults in Utah can be found: https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/opha/publication/hsu/2024/2402_SocIso-OOHBirth.pdf#HSU1.