Loneliness: evidence from share

In Europe, loneliness is a public health issue. Given its high correlation with social isolation, it has been exacerbated by COVID-19, especially for the vulnerable groups like older adults. For 24 European countries plus Israel, this study presents a micro analysis of the effect of loneliness on individuals ́health. We find that loneliness has a negative and significant impact on health and on its variation, before and after the first wave of COVID-19.This impact, in our data context and in the most extreme loneliness case, can be similar to having a disease like cancer. The implicit monetary cost of extreme loneliness is quantitatively significant, ranging from 256 (Bulgaria) to 13304€/month (Switzerland), according to the country