Lack of Social Connection

Household Pulse Survey

Print
Related Pages
census experimental data

In 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) partnered with the Census Bureau on an experimental data system called the Household Pulse Survey. This survey was designed to complement the ability of the federal statistical system to rapidly respond and provide relevant information about how emergent issues are impacting American households.

Beginning in Phase 4.0 (on January 9, 2024), questions on social support, loneliness, and social isolation were added to the survey (see Technical Notes below for the exact question wording).

These questions have been included on other nationally representative surveys. Briefly, the question on social support was included on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from July 2020-December 2021 and was added to the 2024 NHIS. The question on loneliness was added to the 2024 NHIS. The questions on social isolation are adapted from the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index and were included on an earlier cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Estimates on this page are derived from the Household Pulse Survey and show the following outcomes for adults aged 18 and over:

  • Lack of Social Support
    • The percentage of adults who sometimes, rarely, or never get the social and emotional support they need.
  • Loneliness
    • The percentage of adults who usually or always feel lonely.
  • Social Isolation
    • The percentage of adults who talk on the telephone with family, friends, or neighbors less than three times in a typical week.
    • The percentage of adults who text or message with family, friends, or neighbors less than three times in a typical week.
    • The percentage of adults who get together with friends or relatives less than three times in a typical week.
    • The percentage of adults who attend church or religious services less than four times per year.
    • The percentage of adults who attend meetings of clubs or organizations less than once a week.
Pulse Survey Topics

Use the drop-down menus to show data for selected indicators or categories. Select the buttons at the bottom of the dashboard to view national and state estimates. The data table may be scrolled horizontally and vertically to view additional estimates.

Access Dataset on Data.CDC.gov (Export to CSV, JSON, XLS, XML)[?]

Technical Notes

 

Survey Questions

 

Social Support

How often do you get the social and emotional support you need?

Answer Choices: Always, Usually, Sometimes, Rarely, Never.

Loneliness

How often do you feel lonely?

Answer choices: Always, Usually, Sometimes, Rarely, Never.

Social Integration

In a typical week, how often do you talk on the telephone with family, friends, or neighbors?

Answer choices: Less than once a week, 1 or 2 times a week, 3 or 4 times a week, 5 or more times a week

 

In a typical week, how often do you text or message with family, friends, or neighbors?

Answer choices: Less than once a week, 1 or 2 times a week, 3 or 4 times a week, 5 or more times a week.

 

How often do you get together with friends or relatives?

Answer choices: Less than once a week, 1 or 2 times a week, 3 or 4 times a week, 5 or more times a week.

 

How often do you attend church or religious services?

Answer Choices:  Never or less than once a year, 1 to 3 times per year, 4 to 11 times per year, 12 or more times per year.

 

How often do you attend meetings of the clubs or organizations you belong to?

Answer Choices: Less than once a week, 1 or 2 times a week, 3 or 4 times a week, 5 or more times a week.

Data Source

In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau, in collaboration with five federal agencies, launched the Household Pulse Survey to produce data on the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on American households.  The Household Pulse Survey was designed to gauge the impact of the pandemic on employment status, consumer spending, food security, housing, education disruptions, and dimensions of physical and mental wellness.

The survey was designed to meet the goal of accurate and timely monthly estimates. It was conducted by an internet questionnaire, with invitations to participate sent by email and text message. The sample frame is the Census Bureau Master Address File Data. Housing units linked to one or more email addresses or cell phone numbers were randomly selected to participate, and one respondent from each housing unit was selected to respond for him or herself. Estimates are weighted to adjust for nonresponse and to match Census Bureau estimates of the population by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and educational attainment. All estimates shown meet the NCHS Data Presentation Standards for Proportions.

Weighted Response Rate and Sample Size

Limitations

The Household Pulse Survey is different from other surveys. NCHS, the Census Bureau, and other federal statistical agencies are considered the preeminent source of the nation’s most important benchmark surveys.  Many of these surveys have been in production for decades and provide valuable insight on health, social, and economic trends. However, the production of benchmark data requires a relatively long lead time, and personal interviews (face-to-face or telephone) require additional time.  While efforts are underway to introduce COVID-19 questions into these surveys, that process can take months, sometimes years, before data are made available.

The Household Pulse Survey is different:  It was designed to go into the field quickly, to be administered via the web, and to disseminate data in near real-time, providing data users with information they can use now to help ease the burden on American households and expedite post-pandemic recovery.  The Census Bureau is fielding the Household Pulse Survey as a demonstration project, with data released as part of its Experimental Statistical Products Series.

Confidence intervals included in the tables on this page only reflect the potential for sampling error.  Nonsampling errors can also occur and are more likely for surveys that are implemented quickly, achieve low response rates, and rely on online response.  Nonsampling errors for the Household Pulse Survey may include:

  • Measurement error: The respondent provides incorrect information, or an unclear survey question is misunderstood by the respondent. The Household Pulse Survey schedule offered only limited time for testing questions.
  • Coverage error: Individuals who otherwise would have been included in the survey frame were missed. The Household Pulse Survey only recruited households for which an email address or cell phone number could be identified.
  • Nonresponse error: Responses are not collected from all those in the sample or the respondent is unwilling to provide information. The response rate for the Household Pulse Survey was substantially lower than most federally sponsored surveys.
  • Processing error: Forms may be lost, data may be incorrectly keyed, coded, or recoded. The real-time dissemination of the Household Pulse Survey provided limited time to identify and fix processing errors.

For more information on nonresponse bias for the Household Pulse Survey, please visit https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/demo/technical-documentation/hhp/2020_HPS_NR_Bias_Report-final.pdf.

For more information on the Household Pulse Survey, please visit  https://www.census.gov/data/experimental-data-products/household-pulse-survey.html.

Suggested Citation

National Center for Health Statistics. U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey, 2024. Lack of Social Connection. Generated interactively: from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/lack-socialconnection.htm