The Project About Loneliness and Social networks (PALS)

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Around 30% of the UK population experience loneliness. Older people and those with long-term health problems are far more likely to be lonely and isolated than those in good health. Feeling lonely and isolated also has a negative impact on a person’s emotional and physical health, and costs the NHS money due to more medical appointments and hospital visits. Evidence has shown that connecting with community resources can help protect against loneliness for those most at risk. This study will test if it is possible to reduce the negative impacts of loneliness and social isolation by focussing on the support networks that people have around them. GENIE is an online tool that allows people to map their social networks (which may include friends, family, groups, pets, daily activities). It also asks about people’s preferred interests and activities and provides links to local activities which match these. This study will explore how GENIE can be used to improve social networks using existing local community groups and resources, to provide emotional and physical health benefits to participants.

Who can participate?
Isolated and lonely adults in two regions in the North and South of England (centred around Southampton and Liverpool)

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to two groups. One group uses GENIE. With the help of a facilitator, people using GENIE are asked to think about the role of people around them, and how their networks might be improved, by including other people already around them who they did not initially think of, or from new connections to community activities. By thinking about their whole network, people are able to build on existing connections and that linking to local activities and groups of interest gives people the opportunity to meet others with similar interests and improves the sense of connection to the local community. The other group carries on as usual but can use GENIE with a facilitator, if they want to, after 6 months once the study has finished. A small number of people are selected for interview to understand their experiences of loneliness and isolation, and how this might have changed because of the study.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The study will help us to understand how, where and why people are lonely within our local communities particularly those living in disadvantaged situations (e.g. poor housing or with low incomes). It will show how best to use existing community groups, resources and organisations to access and help those most at risk. As GENIE is distinct from other approaches, such as befriending schemes, the study will help us understand how reducing isolation and feelings of loneliness happens after using GENIE. The researchers have been working with different groups across the two cities, including the NHS, housing associations, fire service, care and support organisations, health and community groups, to help target all relevant activities and services. GENIE will be delivered by people who work for these organisations. The Campaign to End Loneliness are also collaborating with the study team. By including a wide range of stakeholders the researchers hope to share their findings more broadly and innovatively than within an academic context and if effective, they will be able to provide evidence for policy makers.

Where is the study run from?
1. University of Southampton (UK)
2. Liverpool John Moores University (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2018 to June 2022 (updated 09/02/2021, previously: February 2021)

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK)

Who is the main contact?
1. Dr Rebecca Band
2. Kate Rodger

Contact information

Study information

Eligibility

Locations

Countries of recruitment

• England
• United Kingdom

Study participating centres

Sponsor information

University of Southampton
University/education

Head of IP, Contracts & Policy
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
England
United Kingdom

Phone	+44 (0)2380595058
Email	rgoinfo@soton.ac.uk
"ROR"	https://ror.org/01ryk1543

Funders

Funder type

Government

Results and Publications

Study outputs

Additional files

ISRCTN19193075_PIS_V4.0_11Jun2018.pdf

Uploaded 02/10/2018

Editorial Notes

10/03/2025: Publication reference added.
30/07/2024: The IRAS number was added.
29/07/2024: A contact was updated.
17/11/2023: Publication reference added.
27/04/2022: Publication reference added.
11/01/2022: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The recruitment end date was changed from 01/06/2022 to 17/11/2021.
2. The total final enrolment number was added.
3. The exclusion criteria were updated.
09/02/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The recruitment resumed.
2. The recruitment end date was changed from 31/03/2020 to 01/06/2022.
3. The overall end date was changed from 28/02/2021 to 30/06/2022.
4. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
5. The intention to publish date was changed from 28/02/2021 to 30/06/2024.
02/09/2020: Publication reference added.
09/07/2020: The trial contact details have been made publicly visible.
07/04/2020: Due to current public health guidance, recruitment for this study has been paused.
25/03/2019: The condition has been changed from "Specialty: Public Health, Primary sub-specialty: Public Health; Health Category: Generic health relevance" to "Social exclusion" following a request from the NIHR. The condition category has been changed from "Not Applicable' to 'Mental and Behavioural Disorders'.
08/10/2018: The recruitment start date was changed from 01/06/2018 to 05/10/2018.
02/10/2018: The participant information sheet has been uploaded.