Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
Volume 59, Issue 2, Pages 176-186Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.004
Keywords
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Funding
- National Institute on Aging [U01AG09740]
- NIH [K99AG055696]
- John Templeton Foundation [61075]
- Social Security Administration
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Introduction: Growing evidence documents strong associations between volunteering and favorable health and well-being outcomes. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated whether changes in volunteering are associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes. Methods: Data were from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement Study-a large, diverse, prospective, and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults aged >50 years. Using multiple logistic, linear, and generalized linear regression models, this study evaluated if changes in volunteering (between t(0), 2006/2008 and t(1), 2010/2012) were associated with 34 indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being (in t(2), 2014/2016). Models adjusted for sociodemographics, physical health, health behaviors, psychosocial factors, and personality, as well as volunteering and all outcomes in the prebaseline wave (t(0), 2006/2008). Results accounted for multiple testing and data were analyzed in 2019. Results: During the 4-year follow-up period, participants who volunteered >= 100 hours/year (versus 0 hours/year) had a reduced risk of mortality and physical functioning limitations, higher physical activity, and better psychosocial outcomes (higher: positive affect, optimism, and purpose in life; lower: depressive symptoms, hopelessness, loneliness, and infrequent contact with friends). Volunteering was not associated with other physical health outcomes (diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, overweight/obesity, cognitive impairment, and chronic pain), health behaviors (binge drinking, smoking, and sleep problems), or psychosocial outcomes (life satisfaction, mastery, health/financial mastery, depression, negative affect, perceived constraints, and contact with other family/children). Conclusions: With further research, volunteering is an activity that physicians might suggest to their willing and able patients as a way of simultaneously enhancing health and society. (C) 2020 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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