Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults.

Konrath S, Fuhrel-Forbis A, Lou A, Brown S

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · January 1, 2012

Objective: To examine the effects of motives for volunteering on respondents' mortality risk 4 years later, using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Results: Replicating prior work, respondents who volunteered were at lower risk for mortality 4 years later, especially those who volunteered more regularly and frequently. However, volunteering behavior was not always beneficially related to mortality risk: Those who volunteered for self-oriented reasons had a mortality risk similar to nonvolunteers. Those who volunteered for other-oriented reasons had a decreased mortality risk, even in adjusted models. Conclusions: Volunteers live longer than nonvolunteers, but this is only true if they volunteer for other-oriented reasons.

PMID: 21842999 · DOI: 10.1037/a0025226