Among adults with chronic liver disease, social isolation from living alone was associated with a 40% increased risk for all-cause mortality and with greater odds of food and healthcare-related transportation insecurity.

"We hypothesize that social isolation from living alone may increase mortality risk in adults with CLD [chronic liver disease] due to lack of support for managing disease-specific complications and functional limitations in the home setting," the authors wrote. "Routine screening for social isolation during clinic visits could help identify at-risk patients, facilitating early interventions."

This study, led by Tiana Walker, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, was published online in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The study's limitations included its cross-sectional design, which limits casual analysis, and use of self-reported chronic liver disease, which may result in misclassifications and prevents analysis related to the cause and severity of liver disease. Additionally, living alone does not fully capture social isolation, loneliness, or social support.

This study was supported by a Sojourns Scholar Award from the Cambia Health Foundation. The authors declared having no relevant conflicts of interest.