Loneliness has tripled between 2016 and 2022, according to new research from Turku University. The study suggests that last year one-fifth of people in Finland felt lonely.
"Between 2020 and 2022 loneliness grew by eight percentage points," said doctoral researcher Markus Laaninen in a press release.
The Covid pandemic exacerbated loneliness, but the rise in feelings of being isolated has continued even after the end of Covid-related restrictions, according to the researchers.
Before the pandemic loneliness was experienced by between four and 10 percent of people in Finland. That increased to between 10 and 25 percent during the pandemic, depending on the age group.
The steepest increase has been among the under-30s. Students, unemployed people and single parents experience loneliness more than others, but there is no significant difference between the genders on this point.
