Testimony
before the US Senate Aging Committee
Thursday,
April 27, 2017
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Brigham Young University
1024 SWKT
Provo, UT 84602
801-422-1324
julianne.holt-lunstad@byu.edu
https://socialhealth.byu.edu
INTRODUCTION
Thank
you, Chairman Collins, Senator Casey, and members of the committee for your
interest in social isolation and loneliness and for the opportunity to present
testimony today. My name is Julianne Holt-Lunstad, and I am a professor of
psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University. My research focuses on
the influence of our social relationships on physical health outcomes. In my
remarks, today, I’ll talk about the public health relevance of social isolation
and loneliness, including data on prevalence rates, health and mortality risk,
and potential risk factors. 
