Detecting Loneliness in People Using Technology

Abstract

Loneliness has a negative effect on both physical and mental health, which increases the risk of both morbidity, including heart conditions, and death. Poor social bonds have been linked to a 29% rise in coronary heart disease and a 32% rise in strokes in a study that looked at thousands of people. Loneliness can have a serious impact on the brain, and it can also weaken the body’s immune system, which can cause many health problems. Loneliness can reduce a person’s life expectancy by fifteen years, which is equivalent to being overweight or smoking 15 cigarettes per day. That’s why early detection of chronic loneliness is very important to avoid its long-term health problems.

Investigation of daily patterns for smartphone keystroke dynamics based on loneliness and social isolation

“…Social isolation and loneliness significantly affect both physical and mental health, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and even mortality [ 1 – 4 ]. It is crucial to detect feelings of loneliness, such as those equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day before they become chronic [ 4 ].…”

“…In the aspect of social isolation and loneliness, passive mobile sensing technology, known as context-aware computing, has been studied as a potential method for objectively measuring loneliness at an early stage [ 1 , 4 ]. With the widespread use and availability of smartphones [ 14 ], it is now possible to gather new behavioral data, called digital phenotypes, from individuals using built-in sensors [ 15 , 16 ].…”