Researchers at the University of Plymouth have developed a first-of-its-kind app that analyses social network data to help identify those at risk of loneliness and isolation.
Addressing loneliness, especially for older people in rural areas, is a critical challenge for health and social care organisations across Europe.
The new Social Network Analysis (SNA) app will provide a digital tool for collecting, storing, and analysing data which can help volunteering teams plan in activities utilising the guided conversation approach.
The app has been developed by researchers working as part of the Healthy Ageing through Innovation in Rural Europe (HAIRE) project.
Started in 2019, HAIRE was funded by the EU Interreg2Seas programme and worked across eight pilot sites in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Plymouth team working as part of the project contributed to its overall evaluation, but also developed a streamlined approach to mapping social connections and exploring its impact on social isolation and innovation.
He said:
“The app would be very helpful and efficient in collecting, storing and analysing social network data for an individual and community. This data can be used to plan and implement interventions to strengthen the social network of people (including older population) and their communities for greater health and quality of life benefits.”
The SNA app, co-designed with the active participation of all HAIRE partners as well as available scientific literature on the subject, is flexible to adapt to local contexts and user-friendly.
It was formally launched at the HAIRE final conference in Ghent, Belgium, and forms part of a wider toolkit that will enable more communities in the UK and beyond to improve the quality of life of their citizens.
Collectively the toolkit, along with the training materials, enables local teams to facilitate social innovation contextualised around regional factors.
