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Social connection
can transform our whole health and well-being.

Colorful 3D rendered flowers grouped on a small area of grass.Play Message from the Surgeon General: How Powerful is Social Connection | 12.1.23

Advisory: The Healing Effects of Social Connection

Connection plays a critical role in individual, community, and societal health. This advisory calls attention to that role and offers a framework for how we can all contribute to improving social connection.

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Content Warning: This page contains references to suicide.
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Take The Surgeon General’s 5-for-5 Connection Challenge

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is challenging YOU to take the “5-for-5 Connection Challenge” as a way to build and strengthen your own relationships and inspire others to incorporate connection in their daily lives!

Learn how to get involved
A pink postcard with a table for tracking the 5-for-5 connection challenge. Two sides of the 'Acts of Service' action card from the connection card deck.

Social Connection Fact Cards

Download Fact Cards [2.8 MB, PDF]
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Living in isolation reduces our chances of survival and social isolation increases the risk for premature mortality by 29%.1,2

    1. Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Poor social relationships, social isolation, and loneliness can increase your risk of heart disease by 29% and risk of stroke by 32%.1

    1. Valtorta et al., 2016.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Smaller social network size is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and of other diabetic complications including heart attacks and kidney disease.1,2

    1. Brinkhues et al., 2017.
    2. Brinkhues et al., 2018.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Among older adults, chronic loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia by approximately 50%.1

    1. Lazzari & Rabottini, 2021.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Being more socially connected can improve stress responses and minimize the negative health effects of stress.1,2

    1. Cohen & Willis, 1985.
    2. Southwick, et al., 2016.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    People with strong perceptions of community belongingness are 2.6 times more likely to report good or excellent health than people with a low sense of belongingness.1

    1. My Health My Community, 2018.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Children and adolescents who enjoy positive relationships with their peers, parents, and teachers experience improved academic outcomes.1

    1. DuBoid et al., 2011.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Social isolation, or even the perception of isolation, can increase inflammation in the body to the same degree as physical inactivity.1

    1. Yang et al., 2016.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Adults who report feeling lonely often are more than twice as likely to develop depression as adults who report rarely or never feeling lonely.1

    1. Mann et al., 2022.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Social support from friends and family is associated with improved hypertension and diabetes management.1,2,3,4

    1. Magrin et al., 2017.
    2. Shahin et al., 2021.
    3. Pan et al., 2021.
    4. Song et al., 2017.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Immersion in local community-based activities such as volunteering significantly increases the likelihood of unemployed individuals becoming employed.1,2,3

    1. Wilson, 2000.
    2. Jastrzab et al., 2004.
    3. Spera et al., 2015.
  • Social Connection
    Fact Card

    Loneliness and poor social support have been found to significantly contribute to the development and severity of illnesses after exposure to viruses.1,2

    1. Cohen, 2020.
    2. LeRoy et al., 2017.

How Can We Take Action Together?

How do we put this important information to practical use in our society? The Surgeon General has created a Framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection. This details the critical and actionable next steps that individuals, communities, organizations, and governments can take to foster social connection.

Explore the National Strategy

We all have a role to play in fostering social connection. Click on your role below to view recommendations and resources in our Resources Library.

IndividualsParents & CaregiversCommunity-Based OrganizationsSchools & Education DepartmentsWorkplacesHealth Workers, Systems, & InsurersPublic Health ProfessionalsGovernmentsMedia & EntertainmentTechnology CompaniesResearchersPhilanthropy Groups
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