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ISSUE BRIEF:

The Health Benefits of Volunteering:

A Review of Recent Research

Over the past two decades, a growing body of research indicates that volunteering provides not

just social benefits, but individual health benefits as well. This research has established a

strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do

not volunteer. Some key findings from this research, along with an analysis of the relationship

between volunteering and incidence of mortality and heart disease at the state level, are presented here. A more comprehensive review of this research can be found in the full report, "The

Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research", which can be downloaded at

www.nationalservice.org.

KEY FINDINGS

Older volunteers are most likely to

receive greater health benefits from 

volunteering.

Research has found that volunteering provides older adults, (those age 60 or older),

with greater benefits than younger volunteers. These benefits include improved

physical and mental health and greater life

satisfaction. In addition, while depression

may serve as a barrier to volunteer participation in mid-life adults, it is a catalyst for

volunteering among older adults, who may

seek to compensate for role changes and

attenuated social relations that occur with

aging. (Li and Ferraro, 2006; Van

Willigen, 2000)

Volunteers must meet a "volunteering

threshold" to receive significant health

benefits.

When considering the relationship of the

frequency of volunteering to improved

health benefits, researchers have found

that there is a "volunteering threshold" for

health benefits. That is to say, volunteers

must be engaged in a certain amount of

volunteering in order to derive health benefits from the volunteer activities. Once

that threshold is met, no additional health

benefits are acquired by doing volunteering more. The definition of considerable

volunteering has been variously defined by

these studies as 1) volunteering with two

or more organizations; 2) 100 hours or

more of volunteer activities per year; and

3) at least 40 hours of volunteering per

year. (Oman et al., 1999; Lum and

Lightfoot, 2005; Luoh and Herzog, 2002;

Musick et al., 1999)

Volunteering leads to greater life satisfaction and lower rates of depression.

Evidence indicates that volunteering has a

positive effect on social psychological fac-

(Continued)
2

tors, such as a personal sense of purpose

and accomplishment, and enhances a person's social networks to buffer stress and

reduce disease risk. (Herzog et al., 1998;

Greenfield and Marks, 2004; Harlow and

Cantor, 1996) According to one study,

when older adults volunteered in 1986,

they experienced lower rates of depression

in 1994. (Musick and Wilson, 2003) 

Volunteering and physical well-being are

part of a positive reinforcing cycle.

A study of longitudinal; data from the

Americans' Changing Lives survey found

that those who volunteered in 1986 reported higher levels of happiness, life-satisfaction, self-esteem, a sense of control over

life, and physical health in 1989, while

those in 1986 who reported higher levels

of happiness,

life-satisfaction, self-esteem, a sense of

control over life, and physical health were

more likely to volunteer in 1989. (Thoits

and Hewitt, 2001)

Evidence suggests the possibility that the

best way to prevent poor health in the

future, which could be a barrier to volunteering, is to volunteer.

A number of studies demonstrate that

those individuals who volunteer at an earlier point experience greater functional

ability and better health outcomes later in

life, even when the studies control for

other factors, such as socioeconomic status

and previous illness. (Moen et al., 1992;

Lum and Lightfoot, 2005; Luoh and

Herzog, 2002; Morrow-Howell et al.,

2003) 

Individuals who volunteer live longer.

Several longitudinal studies have found

that those individuals who volunteer during the first wave of the survey have lower

mortality rates at the second wave of the

survey, even when taking into account such

factors as physical health, age, socioeconomic status and gender. (Sabin, 1993;

Rogers, 1996; Musick et al., 1999)

Researchers have also found that when

patients with chronic or serious illness volunteer, they receive benefits beyond what

can be achieved through medical care.

(Arnstein et al., 2002; Sullivan and

Sullivan, 1997)

State volunteer rates is strongly connected with the physical health of the states'

population.

Using health and volunteering data from

the U.S. Census Bureau and the Center for

Disease Control, we find that states with a

high volunteer rate also have lower rates of

mortality and incidences of heart disease.

When comparing states, a general trend

shows that health problems are more

prevalent in states where volunteer rates

are lowest.
3
4

April 2007

RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS

Studies of the relationship between volunteering and health demonstrate that there is a significant relationship between volunteering and

good health: when older adults volunteer, they

not only help their community but also experience better health in later years, whether in

terms of greater longevity, higher functional

ability, or lower rates of depression. These

findings are particularly relevant today as Baby

Boomers-the generation of 77 million

Americans born between 1946 and 1964-

reach the age typically associated with retirement. We know that Baby Boomers in their

late 40s to mid-50s are volunteering at a higher rate than earlier generations did at the same

age. However, efforts should be made to not

only maintain current levels of volunteering

among Baby Boomers, but to keep those Baby

Boomers who already volunteer, serving in the

future by providing substantial, challenging,

and fulfilling volunteer experiences. The results

of such efforts will not only help solve community problems, but simultaneously enhance

the health of the growing number of older

adults.

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Corporation for National and

Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement

through service and volunteering. Each year,

the Corporation provides opportunities for

more than 2 million Americans of all ages and

backgrounds to serve their communities and

country through its Senior Corps,

AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.

Together with USA Freedom Corps, the

Corporation is working to foster a culture of

citizenship, service, and responsibility in

America. For more information, visit

www.nationalservice.gov.

1

The state volunteer rates were calculated from the 2004-2006 September Volunteer Supplements to the Current

Population Survey (CPS). Age-adjusted mortality and heart disease rates were taken from National Vital Statistics

Reports, Vol. 54 No. 13, April 19, 2006, Table 29, available at:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/pdf/mortality/nvsr54_13_t29.pdf

2

Both reports, Keeping Baby Boomers Volunteering and Volunteer Growth in America, can be downloaded at the

Corporation's website: www.nationalservice.gov.

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