That difference may help explain why loneliness affects health differently from social isolation. Around one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness, according to the World Health Organization. Depression may increase loneliness, while poorer wellbeing may increase both loneliness and social isolation. Loneliness was linked to poorer general health, including multimorbidity, which means living with two or more long-term health conditions. However, it strengthens the evidence that loneliness may contribute to poorer mental health and wellbeing, and that loneliness and social isolation should be examined separately.