Social isolation and integration in relation to healthcare utilisation: a cross-sectional survey of emergency department and primary care use

Johnston, R and Saini, P ORCID: 0000-0002-4981-7914 (2026) Social isolation and integration in relation to healthcare utilisation: a cross-sectional survey of emergency department and primary care use. Journal of Mental Health. pp. 1-11. ISSN 0963-8237

Preview

Text Social isolation and integration in relation to healthcare utilisation.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (749kB) | Preview

Abstract

Background: Social isolation and loneliness are critical public health concerns associated with poorer health outcomes and greater demand for healthcare services. With the NHS already under significant pressure, understanding how these social factors influence healthcare demand is crucial. Aims: This study aimed to compare the distinct contributions of social isolation and social integration to primary care and emergency department use. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 460 UK adults were assessed on: loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, social integration using the LSNS-6 and healthcare utilisation via an adapted questionnaire. Ordinal logistic regression examined associations between social variables and service use. Results: Social isolation was consistently linked to greater use of healthcare services, increasing the odds of both primary care (OR = 1.07) and emergency department attendance (OR = 1.10, both p < 0.001). Conversely, higher social integration modestly increased primary care use (OR = 1.04, p = 0.02) but was not significantly related to emergency department visits (OR = 1.02, p = 0.34). Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of addressing social isolation within healthcare policies to reduce service strain and improve patient outcomes. Embedding social support mechanisms in healthcare strategies could optimise resource use while enhancing care quality.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social isolation; emergency department; health services use; health-seeking behaviour; healthcare utilisation; primary care; social integration; 4203 Health Services and Systems; 4206 Public Health; 42 Health Sciences; Emergency Care; Social Determinants of Health; Mental Health; Health Services; Behavioral and Social Science; Clinical Research; 8.1 Organisation and delivery of services; Generic health relevance; 3 Good Health and Well Being; 1103 Clinical Sciences; 1701 Psychology; Psychiatry; 3202 Clinical sciences; 4203 Health services and systems; 5203 Clinical and health psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Psychology (from Sep 2019)
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Date of acceptance:	24 June 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	29 October 2026
Date Deposited:	29 Oct 2026 15:33
Last Modified:	29 Oct 2026 15:33
DOI or ID number:	10.1080/09638237.2026.2732879
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29770

View Item