Single-person households and social isolation. A socio-territorial approach in urban areas of Southern Europe

There has been a significant increase in single-person households in Europe. The studies that analyse this process have shown its relationship with the increase in physical and mental illnesses, or the perception of well-being. Similarly, social isolation has been addressed through the study of single-person households, with a particular focus on its relationship with ageing. However, little research has analysed the socio-economic contexts of single-person households. This contribution first develops a spatial approach to the study of single-person households in the main cities of Spain, Italy and Portugal. Later, using data from the 2021 census, a spatial statistical analysis is carried out at the census tract level. Thus, this contribution analyses the different socio-territorial characteristics of single-person households in the six selected cities (Lisbon, Porto, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Barcelona). Our results show how Italian cities have developed a spatial pattern characterised by dispersion in contrast to the Spanish and Portuguese cases, with a greater tendency towards the centrality of this type of household. In turn the importance of using spatial statistical methods for the study of social covariates related to loneliness and single-person households has also been noted.