Loneliness by Highest Educational Attainment: Men with Junior College Degrees and Women with Graduate Degrees Experience Loneliness Most
When summarizing the impact of the highest educational attainment, the following features can be observed:
- Elementary/Middle School Graduates: “Always” element is at 5.9%, somewhat lower, but the “sometimes” element is relatively high at 15.3%, indicating a frequent occurrence of daily events and emotions.
- High School Graduates: “Always” element is at 4.8%, and the “sometimes” element is 15.4%, showing that high school graduates also tend to experience daily events and emotions.
- Vocational School Graduates: “Always” element is at 4.4%, and the “sometimes” element is 17.1%, suggesting that graduates of vocational schools also experience daily events and emotions.
- Junior College/Technical College Graduates: “Always” element is at 5.2%, and the “sometimes” element is 14.9%, indicating that after school graduation, there is likely to be a presence of daily events and emotions.
- University Graduates: “Always” element is at 4.5%, and the “sometimes” element is 16.6%, suggesting that university graduates also experience daily events and emotions.
- Others: “Always” element is at 9.4%, somewhat higher. The “sometimes” element is at 22.6%, indicating that a diverse range of people frequently experience daily events and emotions.
- Graduate Degree Holders: “Always” element is at 6.7%, somewhat higher. The “sometimes” element is at 14.3%, and graduate students also tend to experience daily events and emotions.
Points to Consider in Understanding Loneliness
Generally, loneliness is influenced by individual experiences and circumstances, making it difficult to explain with a single factor. From this data, it’s evident that among men with different educational backgrounds, there are those who experience loneliness. However, a comprehensive understanding of individual backgrounds and circumstances is necessary. Recognizing the situations and needs of individuals and providing appropriate support and communication is suggested.
| By final educational background | Often/always | Sometimes there is | Even if there is | Hardly any | Never | No answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary/Junior High School Graduate | 5.9 | 15.3 | 19.0 | 38.5 | 19.1 | 2.2 |
| High school graduate | 4.8 | 15.4 | 18.5 | 42.1 | 18.7 | 0.5 |
| Vocational school graduate | 4.4 | 17.1 | 19.1 | 41.1 | 17.9 | 0.4 |
| Junior college/technical college graduate | 5.2 | 14.9 | 21.1 | 39.9 | 18.8 | 0.1 |
| University graduate | 4.5 | 16.6 | 21.4 | 39.5 | 17.8 | 0.2 |
| Graduate School Degree | 6.7 | 14.3 | 20.7 | 38.6 | 19.8 | – |
| other | 9.4 | 22.6 | 15.1 | 32.1 | 20.8 | – |
Percentage of people who feel lonely by final educational background (by male and female)
For men, the group with the highest percentage reporting “always” feeling loneliness is “Men | Junior College/Technical College” at 7.0%. The second-highest group is “Men | Elementary/Junior High School” at 6.1%.
On the other hand, the group with the highest percentage reporting “sometimes” feeling loneliness is “Men | Other,” with 37.5%. The second-highest group is “Men | Specialized School” at 18.6%.
In the data for women, the group that feels the most loneliness is “Women | Other.” In this category, “common” loneliness is reported by 8.7%, and “sometimes” loneliness is reported by 8.7%, indicating a generally high level of loneliness.
The second-highest group in terms of loneliness is “Women | Graduate School.” In this group, “common” loneliness is reported by 7.8%, and “sometimes” loneliness is reported by 18.6%, showing a relatively high level of loneliness as well.
| By gender and final educational background | Often/always | Sometimes there is | Even if there is | Hardly any | Never | No answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female|Elementary/Junior High School | 5.7 | 14.7 | 19.2 | 38.2 | 20.4 | 1.7 |
| Female | High School | 4.4 | 15.2 | 19.6 | 42.0 | 18.1 | 0.7 |
| Women|College | 3.9 | 16.3 | 19.8 | 42.2 | 17.3 | 0.4 |
| Women|Junior College / College of Technology | 4.9 | 14.4 | 21.9 | 39.7 | 19.0 | – |
| Women | University | 4.3 | 18.7 | 22.4 | 37.0 | 17.7 | – |
| Women|Graduate School | 7.8 | 18.6 | 16.7 | 37.3 | 19.6 | – |
| Women|Other | 8.7 | 8.7 | 17.4 | 39.1 | 26.1 | – |
Loneliness Rates by Highest Educational Attainment (by Age)
In the age-specific survey, the group that most frequently reports “often/always” feeling lonely consists of individuals in the age category “70 to 79 years” with the highest educational background categorized as “Other.” In this group, the prevalence of “often/always” experiencing loneliness is 11.1%, which is somewhat higher compared to other age categories.
The second group that frequently reports “often/always” feeling lonely is within the “80 years and older” age category, specifically among those with an educational background categorized as “Junior College/Technical College.” In this group, the prevalence of “often/always” experiencing loneliness is 6.1%, indicating a slightly higher level of loneliness compared to other age categories.
The third group that frequently reports “often/always” feeling lonely consists of individuals in the “60 to 69 years” age category with the highest educational background categorized as “Other.” In this group, the prevalence of “often/always” experiencing loneliness is 20.0%, which is notably higher than other age categories.
| By age group and final educational background | Often/always | Sometimes there is | Even if there is | Hardly any | Never | No answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-19 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 15.0 | 15.0 | 5.0 | 30.0 | 35.0 | – |
| 16-19 years old | High School | 4.2 | 13.9 | 16.7 | 36.6 | 28.7 | – |
| 16-19 years old | College | 7.7 | 15.4 | 15.4 | 23.1 | 38.5 | – |
| 16-19 years old | Junior College / Technical College | – | – | 20.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | – |
| 16-19 years | University | 4.5 | 30.3 | 13.6 | 27.3 | 24.2 | – |
| 16-19 years | Graduate | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 16-19 years old | Other | 33.3 | 33.3 | – | 33.3 | – | – |
| 20-29 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 11.8 | – | 23.5 | 52.9 | 11.8 | – |
| 20-29 years old | High School | 9.3 | 24.7 | 16.7 | 27.4 | 21.9 | – |
| 20-29 years old | College | 5.2 | 20.7 | 14.8 | 34.8 | 24.4 | – |
| 20-29 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 2.5 | 25.0 | 27.5 | 25.0 | 20.0 | – |
| 20-29 years | University | 6.0 | 18.3 | 23.6 | 31.9 | 20.2 | – |
| 20-29 years | Graduate | 15.4 | 12.8 | 28.2 | 28.2 | 15.4 | – |
| 20-29 years old | Other | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 37.5 | 25.0 | – |
| 30-39 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 17.9 | 20.5 | 17.9 | 28.2 | 15.4 | – |
| 30-39 years old | High School | 8.1 | 20.4 | 18.9 | 33.8 | 18.9 | – |
| 30-39 years old | College | 7.9 | 17.7 | 17.2 | 37.4 | 19.2 | 0.5 |
| 30-39 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 5.2 | 21.9 | 16.7 | 34.4 | 21.9 | – |
| 30-39 years | University | 5.9 | 18.8 | 21.7 | 35.4 | 18.2 | – |
| 30-39 years | Graduate | 7.7 | 16.9 | 18.5 | 33.8 | 23.1 | – |
| 30-39 years old | Other | – | 16.7 | 16.7 | 50.0 | 16.7 | – |
| 40-49 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 9.8 | 23.0 | 13.1 | 34.4 | 19.7 | – |
| 40-49 years old | High School | 6.9 | 16.5 | 20.4 | 39.4 | 16.7 | 0.2 |
| 40-49 years old | College | 5.3 | 20.4 | 18.9 | 38.7 | 16.7 | – |
| 40-49 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 8.4 | 14.4 | 23.7 | 32.6 | 20.9 | – |
| 40-49 years | University | 4.4 | 18.4 | 22.6 | 38.4 | 15.9 | 0.2 |
| 40-49 years | Graduate | 4.3 | 16.0 | 17.0 | 45.7 | 17.0 | – |
| 40-49 years old | Other | – | – | 16.7 | 33.3 | 50.0 | – |
| 50-59 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 12.4 | 24.7 | 20.2 | 29.2 | 13.5 | – |
| 50-59 years old | High School | 7.0 | 16.8 | 20.8 | 38.9 | 16.2 | 0.3 |
| 50-59 years old | College | 3.7 | 20.1 | 22.3 | 39.2 | 14.3 | 0.4 |
| 50-59 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 6.9 | 13.8 | 23.8 | 40.2 | 15.3 | – |
| 50-59 years | University | 4.9 | 17.6 | 24.8 | 38.1 | 14.6 | – |
| 50-59 years | Graduate | 6.5 | 19.4 | 19.4 | 38.7 | 16.1 | – |
| 50-59 years old | Other | 20.0 | 40.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | – | – |
| 60-69 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 8.3 | 12.4 | 20.1 | 39.1 | 18.3 | 1.8 |
| 60-69 years old | High School | 4.1 | 15.0 | 18.8 | 44.3 | 17.5 | 0.2 |
| 60-69 years old | College | 2.8 | 11.6 | 21.3 | 44.9 | 19.4 | – |
| 60-69 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 2.6 | 16.8 | 19.4 | 43.5 | 17.7 | – |
| 60-69 years | University | 2.7 | 13.3 | 20.4 | 46.3 | 17.3 | – |
| 60-69 years | Graduate | 5.9 | 5.9 | 29.4 | 38.2 | 20.6 | – |
| 60-69 years old | Other | 20.0 | 40.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | – | – |
| 70-79 years old | Elementary/Junior High School | 3.6 | 12.0 | 20.7 | 40.5 | 20.7 | 2.5 |
| 70-79 years old | High School | 2.3 | 11.2 | 16.6 | 48.6 | 20.4 | 1.0 |
| 70-79 years old | College | 2.3 | 12.1 | 16.7 | 51.7 | 15.5 | 1.7 |
| 70-79 years old | Junior College / Technical College | 2.3 | 8.6 | 17.2 | 50.8 | 20.3 | 0.8 |
| 70-79 years | University | 3.3 | 8.9 | 17.4 | 49.0 | 20.1 | 1.3 |
| 70-79 years | Graduate | 3.6 | 3.6 | 17.9 | 39.3 | 35.7 | – |
| 70-79 years old | Other | 11.1 | 33.3 | 22.2 | 22.2 | 11.1 | – |
| Over 80|Elementary/Junior High School | 3.6 | 16.8 | 18.0 | 39.6 | 18.7 | 3.4 |
| Over 80 | High School | 1.5 | 14.4 | 17.8 | 47.3 | 17.2 | 1.7 |
| Over 80|Vocational School | – | 10.8 | 21.5 | 47.7 | 18.5 | 1.5 |
| Over 80|Junior College / Technical College | 6.1 | 6.1 | 15.2 | 51.5 | 21.2 | – |
| Over 80 | University | 1.0 | 13.6 | 10.7 | 52.4 | 21.4 | 1.0 |
| Over 80|Graduate School | – | 14.3 | 28.6 | 42.9 | 14.3 | – |
| Over 80|Others | – | 18.2 | 9.1 | 36.4 | 36.4 | – |
