>The researchers used data from 7,694 participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) who were aged 45-50 in 1996, with their health and wellbeing tracked via questionanaires roughly every three years up to 2016.

>They were regularly asked to indicate their level of satisfaction in their relationships including with partners, family, friends and colleagues.

>The participants were also monitored for the 11 conditions identified as National Priority Areas in Australia: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer, depression and anxiety.

>Fifty-eight per cent of the women who had no chronic conditions when the study started, went on to develop multiple chronic conditions over the 20-year period.

I would be very interested in further research on the correlation between social isolation and chronic health conditions. It seems like a chicken and egg dilemma presently.

I mean, we're certainly not using it in the traditional sense lately. Not enough, anyhow.