Doing good is good - this is how the results of a study from the USA could be summarized.
It examined how social engagement affects the health of people over 50. The result was that those who volunteered for at least two hours a week had a significantly lower risk of death and were physically fitter than a comparison group without such jobs.
The researchers have extensively examined how social engagement directly influences around 30 indicators of physical and psychological well-being. For this, approximately 13,000 people in the United States were accompanied for four years.
The study could not prove that volunteering directly improves physical health in people with chronic illnesses. But the test subjects stated, among other things, that social engagement strengthened their connection to other people and made sense of their lives. They also suffered less from loneliness and depression.
The researchers have extensively examined how social engagement directly influences around 30 indicators of physical and psychological well-being. For this, approximately 13,000 people in the United States were accompanied for four years.
The study could not prove that volunteering directly improves physical health in people with chronic illnesses. But the test subjects stated, among other things, that social engagement strengthened their connection to other people and made sense of their lives. They also suffered less from loneliness and depression.
