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Climate Anxiety, Loneliness and Perceived Social Isolation

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  • André Hajek

    (Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Hans-Helmut König

    (Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Aim: The goal of this study was to investigate the association of climate anxiety with loneliness and perceived social isolation (also stratified by age group). Methods: Data were taken from the general adult population aged 18 to 74 years (n = 3091). Data collection took place in March 2022. Climate anxiety was measured using the Climate Anxiety Scale. The De Jong Gierveld tool was used to quantify loneliness and the Bude and Lantermann tool was used to assess perceived social isolation. Results: Multiple linear regressions revealed an association between higher climate anxiety and higher loneliness (β = 0.06, p < 0.001) as well as higher perceived social isolation (β = 0.10, p < 0.001) among the total sample. A similar picture was identified in age-stratified regressions (i.e., among individuals aged 18 to 29 years, 30 to 49 years, and among individuals aged 50 to 64 years). However, climate anxiety was neither associated with loneliness nor with perceived social isolation among individuals aged 65 to 74 years. Conclusions: Our current study adds first evidence regarding the link between climate anxiety and loneliness as well as perceived social isolation and can serve as a basis for upcoming studies.

Suggested Citation

  • André Hajek & Hans-Helmut König, 2022. "Climate Anxiety, Loneliness and Perceived Social Isolation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:14991-:d:972503
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. André Hajek & Benedikt Kretzler & Hans-Helmut König, 2020. "Multimorbidity, Loneliness, and Social Isolation. A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Margaret Penning & Guiping Liu & Pak Chou, 2014. "Measuring Loneliness Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: The UCLA and de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scales," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 1147-1166, September.
    3. Marlis C. Wullenkord & Josephine Tröger & Karen R. S. Hamann & Laura S. Loy & Gerhard Reese, 2021. "Anxiety and climate change: a validation of the Climate Anxiety Scale in a German-speaking quota sample and an investigation of psychological correlates," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Özgül Uysal-Bozkir & Tineke Fokkema & Janet L. MacNeil-Vroomen & Theo G. van Tilburg & Sophia E. de Rooij, 2017. "Translation and Validation of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale Among Older Migrants Living in the Netherlands," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(1), pages 109-119.
    5. Brian P. Shaw, 2021. "Meeting assumptions in the estimation of reliability," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 21(4), pages 1021-1027, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. André Hajek & Hans-Helmut König, 2023. "Do Individuals with High Climate Anxiety Believe That They Will Die Earlier? First Evidence from Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-8, March.

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