PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mary Lonergan-Cullum AU - Stephanie A. Hooker AU - Robert Levy AU - Jason Ricco TI - A New Pandemic of Loneliness AID - 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210461 DP - 2022 May 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine PG - 593--596 VI - 35 IP - 3 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/35/3/593.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/35/3/593.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med2022 May 01; 35 AB - Loneliness is the subjective feeling people experience when they feel less socially connected to others than they desire. Beyond the impact to mental health and well-being, loneliness is linked to detrimental health outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing and isolation requirements likely exacerbated the prevalence of loneliness, which was reported by 1 in 5 American adults before the pandemic. Whether it be through in-person or virtual visits, primary care clinicians have tools and expertise to screen patients for loneliness, provide them supportive consultations, and refer persons with loneliness to helpful resources. As the societal changes from the pandemic continue to evolve, we recommend that primary care providers include loneliness screens as part of their standard workflow and consult with patients about effective interventions to reduce loneliness.