Introduction
Formal volunteering in later life is beneficial for both physical and psychological
well-being. However, research points to potential selection bias because older adults
with key advantages, such as wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits.
Accordingly, this study addresses this selection bias by considering the characteristics
of volunteers and nonvolunteers using the inverse probability of treatment weighting.
It also examines whether volunteering has differential impacts between the highest
and lowest wealth quintiles using inverse probability of treatment weighting.
Methods
Data were analyzed from the 2004–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N=90,881).
The weights, created using a machine learning method, were incorporated in the analysis
to estimate the treatment effects along with relevant covariates. Analyses were conducted
in 2020.
Results
Volunteering enhanced self-reported health and reduced depressive symptoms in the
full sample. Furthermore, those in the lowest wealth quintile experienced significantly
better self-reported health from volunteering than their wealthy counterparts. Volunteering
was associated with fewer depressive symptoms regardless of wealth status.
Conclusions
The study enhances the understanding of formal volunteering and health while suggesting
that volunteers with low wealth may benefit more from volunteering in terms of their
health. Hindrances to volunteering among the least wealthy, such as financial distress,
discrimination, or lack of organizational support, may attenuate the benefits of voluntary
activity.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: July 27, 2021
Identification
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© 2021 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
