Cigna Takes Action To Combat The Rise Of Loneliness And Improve Mental Wellness In America

PR Newswire

BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- America's loneliness epidemic is getting worse, with three in five adults (61%) reporting they are lonely, a seven percentage-point increase from 2018, according to Cigna's 2020 Loneliness Index released today. These results come against the backdrop of a rising mental health crisis in America, with more than 46 million people living with a mental illness.¹ In response, Cigna is taking action to help communities across the country proactively reduce risks of mental illness and improve mental well-being overall.

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"The trends shaping how we work – increasing use of technology, more telecommuting and the always-on work culture – are leaving Americans more stressed, less rested, spending more time on social media, and less time with friends and family," said David M. Cordani, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cigna. "For the business community, it is resulting in less engagement, less productivity and lower retention levels. To confront these issues at home and at work, we are helping people build stronger connections and driving deeper health engagement to improve overall well-being and vitality."

DATA SHOWS A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN WORK AND LONELINESS
The average American employee spends 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime² and the new Cigna study shows a clear connection between work and loneliness. The full report, which includes a robust analysis of loneliness by demographics, industry and geographies, is available at cigna.com/CombattingLoneliness. Key findings include:

Three in five Americans (61%) report that they are lonely
Loneliness has a larger impact on certain demographics

Men are slightly lonelier than women
Younger people (18-22) are lonelier than older people (72+)
Those living in urban and suburban communities are less lonely than those in rural areas

Social media has a major impact on loneliness with very heavy social media users significantly more likely to feel alone, isolated, left out and without companionship
Loneliness has implications for the business community

Lonely workers say they are less engaged, less productive and report lower retention rates
They are twice as likely to miss a day of work due to illness and five times more likely to miss work due to stress
12% of lonely workers say they believe their work is lower quality than it should be
Lonely workers say they think about quitting their job more than twice as often as non-lonely workers
Remote workers are more likely than non-remote workers to always or sometimes feel alone

CIGNA TAKES ACTION
To combat the rise of loneliness and improve mental health at home, in the workplace and in our schools, Cigna is taking several steps to help alleviate this multi-faceted issue. These include:

Redefining and broadening the services available to address and deliver support for mental health needs.
Expanding access to its comprehensive network of more than 170,000 mental and behavioral health care providers³ who are dedicated to helping customers improve their well-being and navigate issues like loneliness, stress, depression, anxiety and addiction. Cigna is also creating preferred provider networks to target areas of the country where the behavioral provider industry faces a significant supply and demand issue.
Making it easier and quicker for customers to connect with mental health specialists virtually through its own broad network of 18,000 virtual providers³ and schedule appointments online through an expanded partnership with MDLIVE. Virtual care helps customers overcome stigma, scheduling and accessibility barriers, while giving people peace of mind, privacy and convenience.
Creating a path forward for future generations, Cigna is partnering with clients and school districts in select areas to provide a School Support Line for junior high or high school (grade 7-12) students, staff and parents for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. The dedicated phone line will be provided at no charge and will be staffed by Cigna advocates who are trained in how to interact with students, parents and staff.

The Cigna Foundation is also committing $3 million over three years to support mental well-being in schools, as part of our broader $25 million Healthier Kids for Our Future initiative. "With funding from the Cigna Foundation, we will help schools – and the communities that support them – combat increasingly prevalent mental health issues, such as loneliness and social isolation, anxiety, depression, bullying and violence, and better equip them with tools and resources to promote interpersonal connectivity, social support and resiliency," said John Murabito, President of the Cigna Foundation and Executive Vice President of Cigna.

ABOUT THE 2020 LONELINESS INDEX
The 2020 Loneliness Index surveyed more than 10,400 adults (age 18+) and is based on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a 20-item questionnaire developed to assess self-reported, subjective feelings of loneliness or social isolation. According to the scale, loneliness is measured by a score of 43 or higher. The survey was developed with Daniel Russell, Ph.D., Founder of the UCLA Loneliness Index, and conducted in partnership with Ipsos. It included a 20-item questionnaire and has a credibility index of ±1.1 percentage points.

Further analysis of Cigna's 2018 Loneliness Index was published in the peer-reviewed clinical publication, American Journal of Health Promotion and was just recently named an Editors' Pick for Paper of the Year by the journal.

About Cigna
Cigna Corporation is a global health service company dedicated to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability, affordability and access to quality care through integrated capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that advance whole person health. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Express Scripts companies or their affiliates, and Life Insurance Company of North America. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 165 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna^®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.

¹National Institute of Mental Health. (2019, February). Mental Illness. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml.
²Peppercorn, S. (2019, July 26). Why You Should Stop Trying to Be Happy at Work. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved January 7, 2020 from https://hbr.org/2019/07/why-you-should-stop-trying-to-be-happy-at-work.
³Cigna unique provider data as of November 2019