Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation

Ernest Gonzales; Huei Wern Shen; Tam E. Perry; Yi Wang

doi:10.1177/0164027518773125

Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation

Ernest Gonzales, Huei Wern Shen, Tam E. Perry, Yi Wang

Social Work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study aims to further our understanding of formal volunteering as a protective mechanism for health in the context of housing relocation and to explore race, gender, and education as moderators. A quasi-experimental design evaluated the effects of volunteering on older adults’ health (self-report health, number of instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs], and depressive symptoms) among individuals who relocated but did not volunteer at Time 1 (N = 682) in the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2010). Propensity score weighting examined health differences at Time 2 between 166 volunteers (treated) and 516 nonvolunteers (controlled). Interaction terms tested moderation. Individuals who moved and engaged in volunteering reported higher levels of self-rated health and fewer IADL difficulties compared to the control group. Race moderated the relationship between volunteering and depressive symptoms, while gender moderated the relationship between volunteering and self-assessed health. Formal volunteering protects different dimensions of health after relocation. Volunteering was particularly beneficial for females and older Whites.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	31-53
Number of pages	23
Journal	Research on Aging
Volume	41
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027518773125
State	Published - Jan 1 2019

Keywords

formal volunteering
health
health equity
protective factors
relocation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Health(social science)
Geriatrics and Gerontology

Access to Document

10.1177/0164027518773125

Cite this

@article{35bdee5fc98b45269e788fbb1a3aef21,

title = "Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation",

abstract = "This study aims to further our understanding of formal volunteering as a protective mechanism for health in the context of housing relocation and to explore race, gender, and education as moderators. A quasi-experimental design evaluated the effects of volunteering on older adults{\textquoteright} health (self-report health, number of instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs], and depressive symptoms) among individuals who relocated but did not volunteer at Time 1 (N = 682) in the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2010). Propensity score weighting examined health differences at Time 2 between 166 volunteers (treated) and 516 nonvolunteers (controlled). Interaction terms tested moderation. Individuals who moved and engaged in volunteering reported higher levels of self-rated health and fewer IADL difficulties compared to the control group. Race moderated the relationship between volunteering and depressive symptoms, while gender moderated the relationship between volunteering and self-assessed health. Formal volunteering protects different dimensions of health after relocation. Volunteering was particularly beneficial for females and older Whites.",

keywords = "formal volunteering, health, health equity, protective factors, relocation",

author = "Ernest Gonzales and Shen, {Huei Wern} and Perry, {Tam E.} and Yi Wang",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Jasmin Choi, MSW/MPH student at Boston University, for her assistance with collecting the literature. We are also grateful to Wayne State University students, Maxwell Smith and Anita Partyka, for their support in the completion of this article. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was partly supported by the Peter Paul Professorship at Boston University; The Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health at Boston University; and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Loan Repayment Program (PI: Gonzales). Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was partly supported by the Peter Paul Professorship at Boston University; The Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health at Boston University; and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Loan Repayment Program (PI: Gonzales). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2018.",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/0164027518773125",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "41",

pages = "31--53",

journal = "Research on Aging",

issn = "0164-0275",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age

T2 - Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation

AU - Gonzales, Ernest

AU - Shen, Huei Wern

AU - Perry, Tam E.

AU - Wang, Yi

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Jasmin Choi, MSW/MPH student at Boston University, for her assistance with collecting the literature. We are also grateful to Wayne State University students, Maxwell Smith and Anita Partyka, for their support in the completion of this article. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was partly supported by the Peter Paul Professorship at Boston University; The Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health at Boston University; and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Loan Repayment Program (PI: Gonzales). Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was partly supported by the Peter Paul Professorship at Boston University; The Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health at Boston University; and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Loan Repayment Program (PI: Gonzales). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2018.

PY - 2019/1/1

Y1 - 2019/1/1

N2 - This study aims to further our understanding of formal volunteering as a protective mechanism for health in the context of housing relocation and to explore race, gender, and education as moderators. A quasi-experimental design evaluated the effects of volunteering on older adults’ health (self-report health, number of instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs], and depressive symptoms) among individuals who relocated but did not volunteer at Time 1 (N = 682) in the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2010). Propensity score weighting examined health differences at Time 2 between 166 volunteers (treated) and 516 nonvolunteers (controlled). Interaction terms tested moderation. Individuals who moved and engaged in volunteering reported higher levels of self-rated health and fewer IADL difficulties compared to the control group. Race moderated the relationship between volunteering and depressive symptoms, while gender moderated the relationship between volunteering and self-assessed health. Formal volunteering protects different dimensions of health after relocation. Volunteering was particularly beneficial for females and older Whites.

AB - This study aims to further our understanding of formal volunteering as a protective mechanism for health in the context of housing relocation and to explore race, gender, and education as moderators. A quasi-experimental design evaluated the effects of volunteering on older adults’ health (self-report health, number of instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs], and depressive symptoms) among individuals who relocated but did not volunteer at Time 1 (N = 682) in the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2010). Propensity score weighting examined health differences at Time 2 between 166 volunteers (treated) and 516 nonvolunteers (controlled). Interaction terms tested moderation. Individuals who moved and engaged in volunteering reported higher levels of self-rated health and fewer IADL difficulties compared to the control group. Race moderated the relationship between volunteering and depressive symptoms, while gender moderated the relationship between volunteering and self-assessed health. Formal volunteering protects different dimensions of health after relocation. Volunteering was particularly beneficial for females and older Whites.

KW - formal volunteering

KW - health

KW - health equity

KW - protective factors

KW - relocation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046809348&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85046809348&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0164027518773125

DO - 10.1177/0164027518773125

M3 - Article

C2 - 29742961

AN - SCOPUS:85046809348

SN - 0164-0275

VL - 41

SP - 31

EP - 53

JO - Research on Aging

JF - Research on Aging

IS - 1

ER -

Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this