Abstract
Objectives: We investigate whether volunteering is associated with a reduced risk of first heart attack in later life and whether purpose in life moderates this relationship. Methods: Cox proportional hazards were used to examine seven waves of data (2006-2018) from the Health and Retirement Study-a nationally representative survey of adults 50 years and older (N = 5,079). Results: Volunteering a moderate number of hours was associated with a 46% lower risk of heart attack compared to non-volunteers. The association between high time-commitment volunteering and heart attack risk was contingent on level of purpose in life: compared to non-volunteers, people with high purpose in life who volunteered 100 + hours had the lowest risk of heart attack. Discussion: Meaningful volunteer activities may be one way for older adults to reduce their risk of heart attack.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
