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Volunteering and Risk of Heart Attack in Later Life: The Moderating Role of Purpose in Life?

Mallory J Bell1,2, Kenneth F Ferraro1,2

  • 1Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.

Research on Aging
|August 30, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Volunteering may lower heart attack risk in older adults. High purpose in life combined with extensive volunteering offers the greatest protection against heart attack.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Social Determinants of Health

Background:

  • Heart disease remains a leading cause of mortality in older adults.
  • Lifestyle factors, including social engagement, are increasingly recognized for their impact on cardiovascular health.
  • The role of purposeful activities, such as volunteering, in mitigating health risks in later life requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between volunteering and the risk of experiencing a first heart attack among older adults.
  • To determine if a sense of purpose in life moderates the relationship between volunteering and heart attack risk.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Cox proportional hazards models to analyze longitudinal data from seven waves (2006-2018) of the Health and Retirement Study.
  • Included a nationally representative sample of 5,079 adults aged 50 years and older.
  • Assessed volunteering frequency and duration, and measured purpose in life as potential moderators.

Main Results:

  • Moderate volunteering (unspecified hours) was linked to a 46% reduction in heart attack risk compared to non-volunteers.
  • For individuals with a high sense of purpose in life, volunteering 100 or more hours was associated with the lowest risk of heart attack.
  • The protective association of high-commitment volunteering against heart attack was significantly dependent on the individual's level of purpose in life.

Conclusions:

  • Engaging in meaningful volunteer activities may serve as a protective factor for cardiovascular health in older adults.
  • Purpose in life appears to enhance the benefits of volunteering for reducing heart attack risk.
  • Findings suggest that promoting volunteerism and fostering a sense of purpose could be beneficial public health strategies for aging populations.

Keywords:
cardiovascular healthprosocial activitiespurpose in lifevolunteering

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