This book systematically addresses loneliness as a vital public health concern through evidence-based analysis, providing holistic insights into current literature and offering targeted clinical practice recommendations. Loneliness is steadily being acknowledged as one of the public health and policy priorities across all age groups and may increase the risk for several serious health conditions, such as dementia, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, stroke, and heart disease.  

This book is particularly beneficial for clinicians such as health psychologists, mental health specialists, public health counsellors and community health educators working with individuals struggling with loneliness across the lifespan. The book demonstrates the status of evidence within and between countries, studies and researchers and implicates existing public health systems and policies with the aim of fostering actionable efforts to address loneliness as a public health concern in both developed and developing nations.

This book employed several methodologies, including bibliometric reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and scoping reviews, among others, to examine the current body of evidence on loneliness and its existing interventions and map direction for future interventions and clinical practice. The findings and recommendations in this book contribute to the broader efforts aimed at realising the United Nations' sustainable development goal three and the World Health Organization's goal of addressing the global epidemic of loneliness. Given the increasing societal awareness and emphasis on mental health and well-being, this timely resource offers indispensable insights and practical guidance to health professionals. It appeals directly to practitioners and stakeholders seeking evidence-driven approaches to mitigating loneliness, thereby fostering healthier, more connected communities globally.

Dr Chiedu Eseadi is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, where his work bridges mental health and career development across school and clinical contexts. He holds a PhD in Guidance and Counselling, complemented by a master’s in the field of Public Health Education, an Advanced Diploma in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a Diploma in Mental Health, a Certificate in Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health, a Certificate in Psychological First Aid, a Certificate in Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials, a Certificate in Advanced Clinical Data Science, a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion in Education, a Certificate in Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, a Certificate in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and an Advanced Certificate in Computer Science.

Dr Eseadi is also an active contributor to scholarly publishing, serving on the editorial boards of the Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Discover Mental Health, BMC Public Health, PLOS ONE, Medicine (Baltimore), the Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, and the International Journal of Research in Counseling and Education, among others. Dr Eseadi serves as a Technical Editor for the African Journal of Neurodiversity, as well as a guest editor, reviewing editor and trusted reviewer for international scholarly publishers and journals. Dr Eseadi served as a Visiting Faculty during the 15th International Faculty Exchange Program at Chandigarh University in India. His international teaching experience also includes serving as a Guest Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Counselling at Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Dr Eseadi previously worked at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he progressed from Graduate Assistant to Senior Lecturer in Guidance and Counselling.

Dr Eseadi is a member of the Mixed Methods International Research Association. Dr Eseadi has authored and co-authored books, book chapters and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr Eseadi is actively involved in postgraduate supervision, doctoral admissions, research ethics, the external examination of dissertations and academic leadership. Through these interconnected roles, Dr Eseadi continues to advance interdisciplinary research and support the professional development of emerging researchers across national and international contexts.