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Voluntary Social Participation and Health
Research Summary: Young, F., and Glasgow, N. (1998). "Voluntary
social participation and health," Research on Aging, 20(3): 339-362.
Background
- These authors argue that formal social participation through volunteering
is distinct from other social attachments such as marital or work relationships
- Formal voluntary participation includes club memberships, volunteer
work for organizations, and political activity. The authors argue that
it is further divisible into groups that are focussed on community-oriented
goals (such as service groups), and groups for whom the primary focus
is on benefits for their own members (such as sports clubs).
- Several studies show separate effects of formal participation on mortality
and health, as opposed to benefits derived from informal ties and personal
social support.
Summary and Implications
- Data is based on a telephone survey of 629 older persons living in
12 non-metropolitan counties in the United States.
- Statistical analysis appears to support the fact that community-oriented
and member-oriented formal voluntary group activities are distinct.
- In addition, the authors argue that the benefits of participating
in formal voluntary activity do not result simply from new friendships,
because "forming friendships that would provide personal support
would be difficult in the context of formal activities that use up most
of the small amount of time available."
- Formal voluntary participation is positively associated with health
when socio-economic and demographic factors are also considered and
accounted for.
- Volunteers derive health benefits from community-oriented participation
beyond benefits from informal ties, which were linked more closely to
member-oriented group involvement.
- Women appear to gain benefits from both member-oriented groups as
well as from commmunity-oriented participation.
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