Volunteer group participation and subsequent health and well-being among older adults in Japan: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
; 126: 105537, 2024 Jun 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38878597
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Prior studies have underscored the importance of studying volunteering in the East Asian context. However, no study has conducted a holistic assessment of the relationship between volunteering and the multidimensional health and well-being outcomes of East Asian populations using a strong study design for causal inference. To address this gap, this study examined the associations between volunteer group participation and the subsequent health and well-being of Japanese older adults.METHODS:
Three waves of data (2013, 2016, and 2019), obtained from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study-a nationwide cohort study of physically and cognitively independent older adults, aged ≥ 65 years, in Japan-were utilized. Exposure was evaluated as the frequency of volunteer group participation ≥ 1/week, 1 - 3 times a month, a few times a year, and none (2016). As outcomes, 40 indicators of health and well-being were assessed across seven domains (2019) physical/cognitive health, health behaviors, mental health, subjective well-being, social well-being, pro-social/altruistic behaviors, and cognitive social capital. We included 47,318 respondents for four outcomes (death, dementia, and functional disability [any level and level 2 or greater]) and 34,187 respondents for the 36 other outcomes.RESULTS:
More frequent volunteering (≥ 1/week) was associated with higher social well-being outcomes, more frequent pro-social/altruistic behaviors and outings, and fewer depressive symptoms, even after considering multiple testing.CONCLUSION:
Throughout the three-year follow-ups, volunteer group participation was beneficial for depressive symptoms, social well-being, and other proximal outcomes.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
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En
Revista:
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article