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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Digital Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389099

Canadian Perspectives on Loneliness; Digital Communication as Meaningful Connection

Provisionally accepted
Lauren Dwyer Lauren Dwyer *
  • Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This perspective piece considers loneliness and its relationship to communication, connection, and technology by reviewing the origins and lessons from the field. It begins with a search for an operational definition, then examines the differences between experiential (situational/isolationbased) and existential (continuous, non-situational) loneliness. Technology is addressed as both a hindrance and a tool for alleviating loneliness with the example of companion robots as an emerging technology for loneliness mitigation. Cultural differences in experiences of loneliness, specifically as a public health issue, are in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Concepts of social and emotional loneliness, individualism and collectivism, socioeconomic status, vulnerability, and lived experience are explored and provide an emphasis on 'meaningful connection' in the study of loneliness.

    Keywords: loneliness1, communication studies2, COVID-193, digital technology4, Public Health5, Canadian mental health policy6, mental health6

    Received: 21 Feb 2024; Accepted: 03 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Dwyer. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Lauren Dwyer, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.