Investigating Causal Link Between Volunteering and Blood Pressure by Gender, Race, and Cohort
2024
Volunteering and Blood Pressure in Older Adults
Sample size: 18847
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Kim Seoyoun, Halvorsen Cal, Shiba Koichiro
Primary Institution: Texas State University, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston University
Hypothesis
Does volunteering frequency affect blood pressure differently by gender, race, and age cohort?
Conclusion
Frequent volunteering is linked to lower blood pressure in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Individuals volunteering 201+ hours annually had a lower likelihood of clinically high diastolic blood pressure.
- Moderate level of volunteering was predictive of low systolic blood pressure.
- Frequent volunteering has an anti-hypertensive effect for the general population of adults 50 and older.
Takeaway
Helping others by volunteering can help older people keep their blood pressure lower.
Methodology
The study used data from the Health and Retirement Study and analyzed the relationship between volunteering and blood pressure over time.
Participant Demographics
Adults aged 50 and older, with a focus on gender, race/ethnicity, and age cohort.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.04
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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