With former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy highlighting the “loneliness epidemic” as a major concern in 2017, two female researchers conducted semi-structured, in-person interviews in the homes of Black and Hispanic women aged 35-60 that include an eight-item version of the UCAL Loneliness Scale. Among participants, 70% reported struggling with mental health issues. Specifically, 14% and 10% reported “rarely” and “never” ever feeling close to others, respectively, with 22% and 20% saying they “always” and sometimes” feel there was no one they could turn to, respectively. With a possible range of 8-31 on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, participants had an average score or 17.2, with five women scoring above 26. Many women reported that their loneliness stemmed from combinations of trauma and loss, unhealthy family and romantic relationships, feeling the burden of responsibilities, and a lack of supportive relationships.
