www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aax9553" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">identified loneliness as a significant risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, most of this research has focused on people in United States and Europe, in which social norms tend to favor the individual over collective identity. Now, using large data sets from South Korea and the United States, a research team has found that the link between loneliness and CVD appears to exist beyond cultural and social norms. The study, led by Harold Lee, assistant professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State, was recently published online and will appear in the June issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology.
"Initially, I expected the effects of loneliness to be worse for participants in South Korea, as I thought those from a collective culture that values togetherness would experience loneliness more profoundly," said Lee, who is also a faculty affiliate with the Social Science Research Institute. "However, statistically adjusting for age, income and health behaviors like drinking and exercise, loneliness increased the odds of experiencing CVD by about 15% across both cultures. This says to us that loneliness is bad for heart health, regardless of culture."
South Korea is traditionally a collectivistic culture, in which the group's needs and goals are prioritized over those of the individual, according to Lee. Individuals tend to see themselves as connected and interdependent members of the group, rather than as independent. Collectivistic cultures generally place value and make decisions based on group harmony, cooperation and loyalty. In contrast, the United States is a traditionally individualistic culture. Individualistic cultures tend to prioritize individual needs, goals and rights above those of the group, which ultimately emphasizes self-reliance, personal achievement and self-expression.
