TJU Scholar Contributes to WHO Report on Social Connections and Health

On June 30, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a groundbreaking report revealing that 1 in 6 people worldwide experience loneliness, with significant implications for health and well-being. The report, developed by the WHO Commission on Social Connection, highlights loneliness and social isolation as urgent global public health challenges.

Among the 20 experts from 16 countries who contributed to the 191-page report, Dr. Yu Bin from Tianjin University stands out as the sole Chinese scholar selected to join the Technical Advisory Group on Social Connection (TAG-SC).

Dr. Yu Bin is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Applied Psychology at Tianjin University, located in the northern port city of Tianjin, China. His research focuses on the effects of loneliness and social isolation on Chinese populations, particularly among older adults. Supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China, his studies have provided valuable insights into how social disconnection impacts cognitive function, mental health, physical well-being, sleep quality, and mortality.

Dr. Yu played an active role in drafting and revising the report, contributing a unique perspective by incorporating findings from his research in China.

“While attending the first in-person meeting of the WHO advisory expert group at its headquarters in Geneva in October 2024, I proposed to include the impact of digital technology on social connections in the report.” Despite some concerns about definitive scientific evidence on the effects of digital technology on people’s social connections, the group eventually decided to add to include three pages in the report specifically addressing the potential impacts of digital technology on social connections.

“My proposal was based on a research me and my group conducted on he daily mobile phone usage of university students.” According to the research, the respondents used their phones for 7.5 hours daily on average. He noted that such prolonged usage was bound to affect their social activities and interpersonal connections.

In addition, Dr. Yu actively participated in the editing and translation of the Chinese abridged version of the WHO Social Connection Committee Flagship Report. He hopes the report will draw the attention of governments and academia and encourage more scholars to engage in research on this topic.

In 2025, the WHO extended another invitation to Dr. Yu, appointing him as a member of the newly formed "Guidelines Development Group for Interventions on Social Isolation and Loneliness." This group is tasked with developing intervention guidelines that cover individuals from children to the elderly. The group will provide professional input on the scope of the guidelines, core issues, priority outcomes, and evidence assessment, ultimately producing policy-oriented documents to help countries better address social isolation and loneliness in their national health policies.

Speaking about this work, Dr. Yu said: "Because of differences in social systems and historical and cultural contexts across countries, the causes of social isolation and loneliness also vary. Consequently, the intervention guidelines must be tailored to local conditions, considering factors such as national context, gender, and age. In fact, China already has some highly effective interventions. For example, senior citizens’ self-organized square dancing and traditional games like Mahjong have played a positive role in preventing social isolation and loneliness among the elderly. I hope our research can provide valuable insights for intervention efforts in other countries."

“Participating in this flagship report is an international recognition of my research and an opportunity to share China’s experience with global health governance,” Dr. Yu said.

The release of the report also marks a milestone for Tianjin University, highlighting its growing influence in global health research. “This reflects not only the strength of Tianjin University’s research in public health but also its commitment to contributing to global health solutions,” Dr. Yu said.

The WHO Commission on Social Connection’s flagship report is a turning point in recognizing the critical role of social connections in public health. Dr. Yu’s involvement underscores China’s increasing contribution to addressing major global health challenges.

By Eva Yin