Abstract
Objectives
This study aimed to identify participant characteristics associated with volunteering
among older adults.
Methods
Based on data from the 2008 Aging Texas Well (ATW) Indicators Survey, we examined
the degree to which demographic factors, health status, spiritual participation, and
community involvement are associated with volunteering among adults aged 60 years
or older (n = 525).
Results
Rates of volunteering varied by race/ethnicity: non-Hispanic Whites (56.4%), African
Americans (51.1%), and Hispanics (43.2%). Bivariate analyses showed that non-Hispanic
White older adults were more likely to participate in formal volunteering activities,
while their African American and Hispanic counterparts tended to participate in informal
volunteering activities. Logistic regression analyses revealed that volunteering was
less observed among Hispanics (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.78). Volunteering was more observed among those who reported providing
informal care (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.14–3.28), having very good or excellent mental health (OR = 1.90 and 2.07, 95% CI 1.09–3.32 and 1.20–3.55, respectively), having weekly or daily
spiritual participation (OR = 2.15 and 2.35, 95% CI 1.28–3.63 and 1.29–4.28, respectively), perceiving community
involvement very important (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.55–3.62), and being very satisfied with the community interaction (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.15–2.85).
Conclusions
Given the positive associations of mental health, spirituality, and social engagement
with volunteering among older adults, system-level efforts to increase the sense of
community among older adults and recognize their roles as volunteers will be helpful
in recruiting and retaining older volunteers.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 25, 2011
Accepted:
April 2,
2011
Received in revised form:
March 25,
2011
Received:
February 6,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
