North Carolina ranks 29th nationwide in social isolation. This ranking is determined by America’s Health Rankings with calculations using American Community Survey data (from the U.S. Census Bureau) related to six factors that are known to increase the risk of social isolation: poverty, living alone, having a disability, having an independent living difficulty (such as being homebound), never marrying and divorced/separated/widowed status. While there are many definitions of social isolation and a variety of ways to measure it, social isolation is generally described as the absence of meaningful social relationships. Social isolation differs from loneliness in that loneliness is the feeling of lacking meaningful social relationships, while social isolation addresses the objective lack of social relationships. An individual can be socially isolated and not lonely, or feel lonely and not be socially isolated.

America’s Health Rankings provides the following information on how social isolation can adversely impact our health and, conversely, how social connectedness can improve it:

Social isolation can complicate health care and negatively impact physical health and mental well-being. It is associated with lower use of health care, increased risk of mortality and other negative health outcomes such as dementia and coronary heart disease or stroke. Approximately 43% of older people report feeling some degree of loneliness. Life events such as age-related physical and mental decline can make it difficult for older adults to maintain social connectedness. Socially isolated older adults may not benefit from the buffering effects of social support when experiencing stressful life events common to aging. Strong social networks have been shown to improve the management of chronic illness and physical and cognitive health. Interventions to prevent and reduce social isolation include technology-based interventions such as virtual CDSME programming. Although not appropriate for all older adults, virtual programming has been used to enhance communication and connectedness, particularly among those with geographical or mobility barriers.

America's Health Rankings also provides detailed, county-level data about the risk of social isolation across the state. As shown by the map below, almost half of North Carolina counties (47 of 100) have an index score of 50 or higher indicating that they are at greater risk of social isolation. 

In the United States, social isolation affects around 24% of older adults ages 65 and older and results in an estimated $6.7 billion in annual Medicare spending.