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Volunteering and Health: What Impact Does It Really Have?

Authors:

Abstract

A systematic review was undertaken to ascertain the health effects of volunteering on volunteers and health service users. 24,966 articles were identified from database searches, of which 87 papers were included. The review identified qualified evidence that volunteering can deliver health benefits both to volunteers and to health service users. Volunteering was shown to decrease mortality and to improve self-rated health, mental health, life satisfaction, social interaction, healthy behaviours and coping ability. There was also evidence that volunteers can make a difference to the health and well-being of service users, including increased self esteem, disease management and acceptance, parenting skills, mental health, survival time, healthy behaviours and improved relationships with health professionals. Volunteering programmes were highly context-dependent, and further research on the training and management of volunteers in healthcare settings is needed.
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Volunteering and Health: What Impact Does It Really Have?
Dr. Rachel Casiday
University of Wales Lampeter
r.casiday@lamp.ac.uk
co-investigators:
Eileen Kinsman
Dr. Clare Fisher
Dr. Clare Bambra
This paper presents the findings of a review commissioned by Volunteering England with support
from the Department of Health. The full report can be viewed on the Volunteering England website:
www.volunteering.org.uk/hsc.
Abstract
A systematic review was undertaken to ascertain the health effects of volunteering on volunteers
and health service users. 24,966 articles were identified from database searches, of which 87 papers
were included. The review identified qualified evidence that volunteering can deliver health benefits
both to volunteers and to health service users. Volunteering was shown to decrease mortality and
to improve self-rated health, mental health, life satisfaction, social interaction, healthy behaviours
and coping ability. There was also evidence that volunteers can make a difference to the health and
well-being of service users, including increased self esteem, disease management and acceptance,
parenting skills, mental health, survival time, healthy behaviours and improved relationships with
health professionals. Volunteering programmes were highly context-dependent, and further
research on the training and management of volunteers in healthcare settings is needed.
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Introduction
Although health has been revealed as an important issue for many volunteer-involving
organizations, there has not been a clear focus on the relationship of volunteering and health. Many
volunteers and organizations cite anecdotal evidence that volunteering is good for health, and there
is growing research and policy interest in examining the health effects of volunteering (Jones, 2004;
Neuberger, 2008). Given the increasing emphasis on partnerships and volunteering in health service
provision (Department of Health, 2004; Department of Health, 2007), it is very timely that research
which examines the relationships between volunteering and health are now drawn together,
consolidated and provided with a more systematic and rigorous review. This research will help to
inform policy, and form an important basis for longer-term, substantial, cross sector research.
A few reviews have already been conducted on particular aspects of volunteering and health, such
as end-of-life care (Wilson, Justice et al., 2005), mental health (Howlett, 2004), and the health of
older volunteers (Onyx and Warburton, 2003). However, these reviews do not explicitly examine
health outcomes or are not systematic reviews, so we undertook a systematic review examining in
detail the impact of volunteering across the health sector and the health of volunteers.
This review analysed the methodology and scientific validity and reliability of studies reported in the
literature, to evaluate the current evidence base for claims about the relationship between health
and volunteering to address the following questions: (1) What impact does volunteering have on the
health and well-being of volunteers? (2) What impact do volunteers have on health service delivery?
These questions are much broader than those typically investigated in a systematic review, but this
is justified by the paucity of research and review articles available on volunteering and health.
Methods
Volunteering is defined in this review as unpaid activity undertaken voluntarily for the benefit of the
wider community (Volunteering England Information Team, 2006). We have used here a broad
definition of health, in accordance with the World Health Organization definition: ‘Health is a state
of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity’ (World Health Organization, 1946). Therefore, physical, mental and psychosocial health
indicators have all been considered, as have qualitative findings relating to physical, mental or social
health, health-related quality of life and well-being. Studies measuring health-related knowledge or
behaviours have been included, but not outcomes of training for health professionals. Health service
implications such as cost-effectiveness have also been considered (though were rarely reported in
the reviewed studies).
Relevant academic and scientific articles published since 1997 were identified, in order to update a
recent report from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (King, Bridle et al., 2002). The
following databases were searched: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ArticleFirst, ERIC, International
Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Social Sciences Citation Index from Web of Knowledge, EBM
Reviews (Cochrane DSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, CCTR, CMR, HTA, and NHSEED), Business Source
Premiere, Social Care Online (formerly Caredata). Articles written in English, using the terms ‘health,’
‘NHS’, ‘service delivery,’ ‘healthy,’ ‘medical,’ ‘hospital,’ ‘acute care,’ ‘chronic,’ ‘long-term
conditions,’ ‘primary care,’ and ‘patient,’ were selected. These terms were combined with the
search terms ‘volunteer$’ (to include such derivatives as volunteering and volunteers), ‘EPP’, ‘expert
patient’.
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All articles meeting the search criteria from manual inspection of abstracts were ordered and read.
Papers that did not meet the inclusion criteria (e.g., did not include a health outcome or did not
specifically examine the effects of volunteering) were excluded.
Data extraction and methodological appraisal forms were completed for each study meeting the
inclusion criteria, and included spaces to report health measures used, details of the volunteering
programme (if applicable), results, and critical evaluation. Any health-related outcomes (broadly
defined, as above) of volunteering (as defined above) were transferred to the data extraction forms.
The review offers descriptive but not quantitative synthesis, as the variety of outcome measures and
study designs is not appropriate to statistical meta-analysis. Tabulation was used to show study
designs, populations, contexts, outcomes, quality, sample sizes, analytical methods, results, and
whether any important information is lacking in the studies. The discussion highlighted studies
deemed to be of high quality and validity, according to the criteria described above. Similarities and
differences between studies were highlighted, and findings summarized across studies.
Contradictory findings were discussed, and possible reasons for them sought.
Findings
The search strategy identified 24,966 articles in total, 87 of which met our criteria and were included
in the final analysis. Tables summarising the design, findings and quality appraisal of each included
study are available in the final research report to Volunteering England, at
www.volunteering.org.uk/hsc.
Effects on health of volunteers
The studies reviewed in this systematic review showed overwhelmingly that, at least under certain
circumstances, volunteering has a salubrious effect on volunteers. Outcomes that were shown to
improve with volunteering included self-rated health (Davis, Leveille et al., 1998; Van Willigen, 2000;
Thoits and Hewitt, 2001; Luoh and Herzog, 2002; Morrow-Howell, Hinterlong et al., 2003; Yuen,
Burik et al., 2004; Fitzpatrick, Gitelson et al., 2005; Lum and Lightfoot, 2005; Wu, Tang et al., 2005;
Piliavin and Siegl, 2007), depression (Musick, Herzog et al., 1999; Thoits and Hewitt, 2001; Morrow-
Howell, Hinterlong et al., 2003; Yuen, Burik et al., 2004; Li and Ferraro, 2005; Lum and Lightfoot,
2005; Li and Ferraro, 2006b; Li, 2007), mortality (Oman, Thoresen et al., 1999; Luoh and Herzog,
2002; Musick and Wilson, 2003; Lum and Lightfoot, 2005), ability to carry out activities of daily living
without functional impairment (Thoits and Hewitt, 2001; Luoh and Herzog, 2002; Lum and Lightfoot,
2005), life satisfaction (Van Willigen, 2000; Thoits and Hewitt, 2001), stress (Field, Hernandez-Reif et
al., 1998; Shannon and Bourque, 2005; Hulbert and Morrison, 2006), family functioning (Jirovec,
2005), social support and interaction (Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001; Burger and Teets, 2004;
Leung and Arthur, 2004; Fitzpatrick, Gitelson et al., 2005; Messias, De Jong et al., 2005), pain
(Arnstein, Vidal et al., 2002), burnout/emotional exhaustion (relative to paid professionals) (Gabassi,
Cervai et al., 2002), affect (Greenfield and Marks, 2004), self-efficacy ratings (Wu, Tang et al., 2005),
psychological distress (Wu, Tang et al., 2005), life satisfaction/quality of life (Coppa and Boyle, 2003;
Black and Living, 2004; Yuen, Burik et al., 2004; Wu, Tang et al., 2005; O'Shea, 2006), frequency of
hospitalisation (Yuen, Burik et al., 2004), self esteem/‘sense of purpose’ (Clark, 2003; Raine, 2003;
Ramirez-Valles and Brown, 2003; Leung and Arthur, 2004; Messias, De Jong et al., 2005; O'Shea,
2006; Richards, Bradshaw et al., 2007), ability to cope with the volunteer’s own illness (Hainsworth,
Barlow et al., 2001; Arnstein, Vidal et al., 2002; Clark, 2003; Coppa and Boyle, 2003; Black and Living,
2004; Leung and Arthur, 2004; Shannon and Bourque, 2005), and adoption of healthy lifestyles and
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practices such as HIV prevention behaviours (Ramirez-Valles and Brown, 2003), physical activity
(Librett, Yore et al., 2005), and healthy levels of drinking (Weitzman and Kawachi, 2000).
The only study included in this review that highlighted a negative effect of volunteering (Ferrari,
Luhrs et al., 2007) found lower caregiver satisfaction among eldercare volunteers than paid
employees.
The majority of the studies examining the health impacts of volunteering on volunteers related to
volunteering in general, rather than in any particular setting or role. However, a few of these studies
did distinguish between the types of organisations in which subjects were volunteering. For
instance, Musick and Wilson (2003) found that church-related volunteering had a larger effect on
depression than secular volunteering, and Librett and colleagues (2005) found that volunteers
working on environmental projects were more likely to meet physical activity recommendations.
For those studies that did examine specific volunteering programmes with respect to the health and
well-being of volunteers, it is instructive to note how often volunteers were involved in direct care
and education of patients, as opposed to more auxiliary roles in health care settings. In the studies
reviewed for this section, volunteers participated in peer support/self-help groups (Davis, Leveille et
al., 1998; Arnstein, Vidal et al., 2002; Brunier, Graydon et al., 2002; Coppa and Boyle, 2003; Leung
and Arthur, 2004) mentoring/teaching patients (a role that often overlaps with peer support)
(Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001; Burger and Teets, 2004), providing massage to infants (Field,
Hernandez-Reif et al., 1998), social support of older people (Fitzpatrick, Gitelson et al., 2005; O'Shea,
2006; Ferrari, Luhrs et al., 2007), organising activities for people with disabilities (Gabassi, Cervai et
al., 2002), palliative/hospice care provision (Hulbert and Morrison, 2006), HIV/AIDS care, activism
and education (Ramirez-Valles and Brown, 2003; Crook, Weir et al., 2006), tracing patients who had
defaulted from psychiatric appointments (Richards, Bradshaw et al., 2007), and cancer support
(including patient care, advocacy, fundraising, education) (Shannon and Bourque, 2005).
Effects on health of service users
It is more difficult to generalise about the effects of volunteering on service users than on
volunteers, because the range of volunteering activities is so diverse and contextual factors are key
in determining the success of volunteering interventions to improve service users’ health.
Nonetheless, it is possible to point to instances, documented in the studies reviewed, in which the
activities of volunteers did make a difference to the health and well-being of service users.
Outcomes for which an effect of a volunteer activity were shown include increased self-esteem and
confidence (Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001), disease management and acceptance (Hainsworth,
Barlow et al., 2001), increased breastfeeding uptake, duration, satisfaction or knowledge (Schafer,
Vogel et al., 1998; Dennis, Hodnett et al., 2002), immunisation of children (Barnes, Friedman et al.,
1999; Johnson, Molloy et al., 2000), improved mental health of children (Anderson, Lipman et al.,
2006), parenting skills (Hiatt, Michalek et al., 2000; Johnson, Molloy et al., 2000; Barnet, Duggan et
al., 2002), lower incidence of delirium (Caplan and Harper, 2007), longer survival times of hospice
patients (Herbst-Damm and Kulik, 2005), improved cognitive function (Caplan and Harper, 2007),
improved physical health and functioning (Edgar, Remmer et al., 2003; Coull, Taylor et al., 2004;
Caplan and Harper, 2007), increased levels of physical activity (Parent and Fortin, 2000; Coull, Taylor
et al., 2004), improved diet (Coull, Taylor et al., 2004), concordance with medications and clinic
attendance (Beswick, Rees et al., 2004; Coull, Taylor et al., 2004; Richards, Bradshaw et al., 2007),
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reduced depression (Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001; Graffy, Taylor et al., 2004), less need for
hospital or outpatient treatment (Johnson, Molloy et al., 2000; Coull, Taylor et al., 2004), condom
use (Hospers, Debets et al., 1999), life satisfaction (MacIntyre, Corradetti et al., 1999), social
function, integration and support (Ashbury, Cameron et al., 1998; Bradshaw and Haddock, 1998;
MacIntyre, Corradetti et al., 1999; Cheung and Ngan, 2000; Hiatt, Michalek et al., 2000; Burger and
Teets, 2004; Etkin, Prohaska et al., 2006; Legg, Stott et al., 2007), lower intensity of grief reactions
(Ting, Li et al., 1999), mediation or improved relationships between patients and health
professionals (Ashbury, Cameron et al., 1998; Taggart, Short et al., 2000; Stajduhar, Lindsey et al.,
2002; Richards, Bradshaw et al., 2007), lower caregiver burden (Wishart, Macerollo et al., 2000),
decreased anxiety (Dunn, Steginga et al., 1999; Cheung and Ngan, 2000; Parent and Fortin, 2000;
Handy and Srinivasan, 2004; Gallagher, Tracey et al., 2005), and raised self-efficacy expectations
(Parent and Fortin, 2000; Healy, Peng et al., 2008).
As in the studies assessing impacts of health on volunteers, the volunteering interventions reviewed
here incorporated a wide range of settings and volunteer roles. One of the most frequently assessed
roles was outreach to young or disadvantaged parents (including breastfeeding support and
promotion) (Schafer, Vogel et al., 1998; Barnes, Friedman et al., 1999; Hiatt, Michalek et al., 2000;
Johnson, Molloy et al., 2000; Taggart, Short et al., 2000; Barnet, Duggan et al., 2002; Dennis, Hodnett
et al., 2002; Raine, 2003; Senturias, Walls et al., 2003; Graffy, Taylor et al., 2004). Two studies
investigated a wide range of roles within hospitals, including fundraising and administration (Lin,
Huang et al., 1999; Handy and Srinivasan, 2004). Other roles included cancer support (Edgar,
Remmer et al., 2003), promotion of physical activity and exercise (Etkin, Prohaska et al., 2006; Batik,
Phelan et al., 2008), tracing patients defaulting from psychiatric appointments (Richards, Bradshaw
et al., 2007), visiting older people (Barnes, Curran et al., 1998; MacIntyre, Corradetti et al., 1999;
Cheung and Ngan, 2000; Wishart, Macerollo et al., 2000; Goldman, 2002; Faulkner and Davies,
2005), lay health mentoring (Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001; Burger and Teets, 2004; Coull, Taylor
et al., 2004), fall/fear of falling prevention (Giles, Bolch et al., 2006; Healy, Peng et al., 2008),
befriending (Bradshaw and Haddock, 1998; Harris, Brown et al., 1999; Handy and Srinivasan, 2004;
Ronel, 2006), HIV prevention and care (Hospers, Debets et al., 1999; Stajduhar, Lindsey et al., 2002),
peer/lay support (Smith, McLeod et al., 1997; Ashbury, Cameron et al., 1998; Dunn, Steginga et al.,
1999; Parent and Fortin, 2000; Hainsworth, Barlow et al., 2001; Campbell, Phaneuf et al., 2004;
Newbould, Taylor et al., 2006; Legg, Stott et al., 2007), hospice support (Herbst-Damm and Kulik,
2005), bereavement counselling (Ting, Li et al., 1999; Gallagher, Tracey et al., 2005), and providing
recreational programmes for children (Anderson, Lipman et al., 2006).
Although it was not an aim of this review to describe the managerial and training contexts of the
volunteering interventions, a number of studies (e.g., Harris, Brown et al., 1999; MacIntyre,
Corradetti et al., 1999; Ting, Li et al., 1999; Parent and Fortin, 2000; Fitzpatrick, Gitelson et al., 2005;
Herbst-Damm and Kulik, 2005; Giles, Bolch et al., 2006; Macvean, White et al., 2008) did explicitly
mention the importance of volunteer support and training, and of managers carefully matching
volunteers and clients. Particularly in the qualitative studies, these contextual factors emerged as
the most important determinant of the success of an intervention involving volunteers.
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Discussion
Overall, this review has found qualified evidence that volunteering can deliver health benefits both
to volunteers and to health service users. Volunteering was shown to decrease mortality and to
improve self-rated health, mental health, life satisfaction, the ability to carry out activities of daily
living without functional impairment, social support and interaction, healthy behaviours and the
ability to cope with one’s own illness. There was also evidence of activities in which volunteers can
make a difference to the health and well-being of service users. It should be stressed that the
studies investigating health impacts for service users were highly context-dependent, and any
success or failure of the intervention may have been a result of other aspects of the programme or
of the ways that volunteers were trained and managed. Nonetheless, there was an impressive array
of outcomes that volunteer activities were shown to benefit for service users.
Although some of the larger studies did not distinguish between different types of volunteering, the
majority make it very clear that contextual factors, such as the type of role played by the volunteer,
the age and time commitment of the volunteer, and how well the volunteers are trained, managed,
supported and matched with clients, are critical factors in establishing a healthy outcome from the
volunteering. It is worth noting that among those studies describing a volunteering intervention that
was peer or lay led or had an element of peer support, this was reported as being an important
element of the programme (Arnstein, Vidal et al., 2002; Brunier, Graydon et al., 2002; Coppa and
Boyle, 2003; Raine, 2003; Ramirez-Valles and Brown, 2003; Shannon and Bourque, 2005; Crook, Weir
et al., 2006). Volunteering was studied in a wide range of settings and activities, and very often
volunteers were involved in direct care of patients. It is not clear to what extent these activities are
representative of the full range of volunteering that currently takes place, as there may be other
important forms of volunteering that have not yet attracted research attention.
Although it is outside the remit of this review to evaluate the impact of types of volunteering role on
volunteers’ health and well-being, it should be noted that volunteers’ involvement in direct patient
care is likely to have significant impacts on their health and well-being. On the one hand, this may
be seen as a particularly important and valuable role, thus contributing to feelings of self-worth and
‘mattering’. On the other hand, such experiences may be more demanding than auxiliary roles, and
therefore render volunteers more prone to exhaustion and becoming emotionally overwhelmed.
Providing adequate training and support for volunteers in such settings may therefore be particularly
important.
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... One early years intervention delivery approach is to include volunteer roles within the delivery of the service [9]. The inclusion of volunteers across the broad spectrum of Health and Social Care Services has been suggested to generate benefits to the intervention recipients (i.e., improved wellbeing and reduced social isolation [10,11]), the organisation hosting the service (i.e., increased reach of services through larger workforces [12]), the volunteers themselves (i.e., improved health and wellbeing [13]) and the wider community (i.e., improved social cohesion [12]) [11,[13][14][15]. However, some evaluations of volunteer led services have found limitations in relation to volunteer burnout and reduced sustainability of services [16,17]. ...
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Early years interventions, particularly those supporting parents in the first 1001 days of their infants life, support healthy development of infants and prevent adverse experiences that can have long term negative impacts. Volunteers are often used to deliver such interventions. This scoping review aimed to explore the roles and characteristics of volunteers across early years interventions and map the evaluation in this field to identify gaps in the literature. A scoping review was conducted according to the Arksey and O’Malley Framework. Academic databases and grey literature sources were searched to identify literature evaluating volunteer-based interventions for parents in the first 1001 days of their infant’s life (conception to aged two). Research conducted in the UK or comparable high-income countries since the year 2000 were identified and data relating to the volunteer role, intervention design and evaluation methods were mapped. Sixty-six articles were eligible for inclusion in the review. Volunteers were commonly involved in interventions to provide peer support for a range of parenting related matters, support breastfeeding and the mental and emotional wellbeing of parents. Volunteer roles were categorised based on their background (peers or non-peer volunteers), their responsibilities (provider of peer support, educator or providers of practical support) and the delivery style of their role (in person one to one support, group leader or remote support). Research most often involved exploring the experiences of those involved in receiving or delivering the interventions and measuring outcomes in relation to breastfeeding and parent mental wellbeing. Volunteers play a large role in the provision of early years interventions. Their varied contribution is presented through a typology that will allow comparisons of roles in future research. Further research exploring the impact on the volunteers and the organisation will support decision making around choosing a volunteer led model within early years services.
... The idea that people can become health leaders, motivators, and educators in their communities is not new; this approach has been used across a range of public health interventions, such as sexual health [30][31][32][33], dental health [34], domestic abuse [35], female genital mutilation [36], nutrition [37], smoking cessation [38], breastfeeding support [39], alcohol consumption [40], cancer awareness [41], mental health and well-being [42], older people's health and fitness [43,44], wider health promotion [45], and COVID-19 response and recovery [46,47]. In their international review, South and colleagues [22] found several reviews evidencing the positive impact of lay health workers on the health and wellbeing of UK service users [48,49] and increasing knowledge and awareness of health issues within the populations and groups with whom they work [50][51][52][53]. There is also evidence of improved access to and uptake of services that utilise volunteers in low-income groups [50,54], for example: mammography educational interventions [55], oral health promotion [34], and through empowering communities and building capacity to design and develop local services [56]. ...
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Background: Community champions have been employed across various settings to disseminate evidence-based public health information. The Building Babies’ Brains programme trains champions to work with parents in communities, equipping them with child development knowledge and parental engagement strategies. We explored what makes community champions effective in distributing information to parents, including how the champion–parent relationship and champions’ personal characteristics affect information dissemination. Methods: Champions included both peers and professionals working with parents in target communities. We administered an online survey (n = 53) and follow-up interviews (n = 14) with champions, with representation from across all training cohorts. We conducted a realist-informed reflexive thematic analysis to generate themes in the data and highlight the contexts, mechanisms, and outcome patterns identified. Results: We observed 15 Context–Mechanism–Outcome configurations across five themes: information sharing opportunities, information relevance, the nature of the champion–parent relationship, interaction expectations, and champion confidence. Our programme theory for how the community champion approach works identified that peer champions focused more on building rapport, modelling behaviours, and being a trusted community resource than direct information transfer. Professional champions, in contrast, showed greater expertise and confidence in discussing parenting practices directly. For both groups, traits such as friendliness and the ability to establish a trusting relationship enhanced effectiveness. Conclusions: This research identifies the impacts of champion role, characteristics, and the champion–parent relationship on the effectiveness of knowledge mobilisation in this context, with implications for training and recruitment of champions. Those using a champion model in comparable settings should ensure that champions have the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage parents and share information effectively.
... Por otro lado, de manera significativa se reconoce que el trabajo cotidiano con las personas en su diversidad ha favorecido el desarrollo de ciertas habilidades sociales y estrategias vinculadas con la interacción social: el ser menos tímido, más conciliador, paciente o empático. Estos aspectos han sido previamente reconocidos como efectos positivos de la participación en actividades de voluntariado (Casiday et al, 2008;Pérez, 2015): "ser un poco más conciliador, bastante eso porque había situaciones extremas que requerían ese estado" (GF2). ...
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El presente estudio analiza a través de un estudio cualitativo de 4 grupos focales (n=13) los significados y efectos del voluntariado señalados por voluntarios y voluntarias de los Juegos Panamericanos y Parapanamericanos Lima 2019 y del Proyecto Especial Legado. En lo personal se reportan emociones positivas vinculadas con la conciencia de haber sido parte de eventos históricos, así como de experiencias de crecimiento personal e interpersonal. Desde lo social se señalan efectos favorables a la construcción de sentido de comunidad, conciencia ciudadana y orgullo nacional. En el marco institucional se identifican aspectos organizativos y de gestión que favorecen condiciones propicias para el desarrollo de experiencias de voluntariado que generen efectos positivos tanto en lo personal como en lo social.
... structure of volunteering services [11,12]. Studies evaluating the role of volunteers in other areas of healthcare have generally reported positive attitudes among professionals [13,14]. ...
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Voluntary schemes can serve to address reduced social functioning experienced by people with mental illness. However, the views of the key stakeholders in such provision remains under-researched. This article aimed to compare the views of mental health professionals and volunteers on volunteering in mental health care in the UK through a qualitative study analysing the data of six focus groups with n = 27 participants using thematic analysis. Six overarching themes were identified: (i) An act of friendship but not a true friendship, (ii) Addressing a social agenda, (iii) Structure and responsibility of volunteering schemes, (iv) Challenges of volunteering (v) Role of technology in volunteering and (vi) Impact on wider mental health care. Whilst various commonalities were identified, nuances in participants views suggest stakeholders may place differing levels of importance on the volunteering framework. Volunteering as a social intervention for people with mental illness was deemed to hold significant importance in wider mental health care. The divergent views expressed between stakeholders can be attributed to their own direct experiences with patients in practice and suggests there is a need for flexibility in the design and delivery of voluntary programmes.
... Volunteering for several reasons and multiple benefits, career enhancement, "giving back" to society, helping others, cope up with stressful situations (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). well-being, lower depression, lower mortality, a longer life span, lower level of dependency, personal satisfaction, gain work experiences and develop personally and socially, and cultivate their skills better mental health (11,(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Volunteers are rendering interventions in different areas of mental health. ...
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Introduction Volunteering is any activity in which time is given to assist another individual, group, or organization. It assists people who want to get involved in philanthropic programs that help volunteers develop awareness and lead healthier personal and social lives. Several volunteers have received specialized training in the fields in which they volunteer, such as health, mental health, education, or emergency rescue. Volunteers are rendering intervention in different areas in mental health. They are providing psychosocial support to the individuals, groups, community, promoting mental health through conducting various mental health awareness programs in the community. There is a growing concern about mental health in India due to the inaccessibility of services. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) being a premier institute for mental health, is devising innovative approaches to mental health care to reach the unreachable. One such initiative was to build the capacity of volunteers in the community who are interested in working for the cause of mental health. Methods The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of the well-being volunteer program. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional research design, wherein all the 136 trained well-being volunteers (WBVs) were included as the study sample. The data was collected from the volunteers who attended the WBV program, which was initiated by NIMHANS Centre for Well-being (NCWB) and the Department of Psychiatric Social Work NIMHANS. A questionnaire on the outcome of the Well Being Volunteers program was developed for the study, and the Volunteer Motivation Inventory scale was used to collect the data from the WBVs. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Ethical clearance was sought from the Institute Ethics Committee of NIMHANS. Results The WBV program enhanced volunteers’ knowledge of mental health and benefited the volunteers in their personal and social life. They were also able to implement a satisfactory level of mental health-related volunteer activities in the community. Conclusion Results of present study and the available literature suggest that engaging in voluntary services improves mental health knowledge. WBV program has provided opportunity to Volunteers to participate in mental health delivery system at different levels.
... opportunities for social engagement outside of their voluntary work obligation. One's social network may expand as a result, and they may become better socially integrated, enhancing their self-efficacy for socializing (Burger & Teets, 2004;Casiday et al., 2008). The amount of loneliness and social isolation may eventually decrease as a result of these experiences. ...
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Objective: To examine the association between voluntary work, loneliness and perceived social isolation amongst middle aged and older adults in Germany. Methods: Data were taken from Wave 5 (Year 2014; n = 7,164 in the analytical sample) of the German Ageing Survey - a nationally representative survey of middle-age and older adults. Voluntary work was quantified using a qualitative scale. The De Jong Gierveld tool was used to assess loneliness. The Bude and Lantermann tool was used to assess perceived social isolation. It was adjusted for several covariates in regression analysis. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses, that adjusted for several covariates, revealed a negative association between voluntary work and loneliness as well as perceived social isolation. Similar associations between volunteering and social isolation in people 40-64 years old and older, as well as volunteering and loneliness in those 40-64 years old, were discovered in age-stratified regression analyses. Volunteering, however, was not significantly linked to loneliness in people 65 and older. Conclusion: Study findings showed a negative association between voluntary work and loneliness as well as perceived social isolation. Since protecting against loneliness and perceived social isolation can contribute to successful ageing, this is of great importance.
... Some of the major findings in the research literature are that social relations and social trust are positively associated with self-assessed quality of life (see, for example, Delhey & Dragolow, 2016;Smith, 2016;Helliwell et al., 2020). Also, public authorities and researchers have shown an interest in the impact of participation in civil society for members and volunteers, including health benefits (Lum & Lightfoot, 2005;Casiday et al., 2008) and quality of life in general. These findings point to different aspects of how and why civil society might contribute to quality of life in rural areas. ...
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Introduction Sedentary behavior, involving low energy expenditure while sitting or reclining, is linked to health risks. Volunteering may help reduce sedentary time through social interaction and physical activity, but this relationship is understudied in non-Western contexts. This study investigated the association between volunteer activity frequency and daily sitting time among adults in Aichi and Kanagawa Prefectures, Japan, regions with higher aging. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in two regions of Japan, with a sample of 1,224 adults (585 men and 639 women) from these regions. Data on volunteer activity frequency and daily sitting time were collected using questionnaires. Multiple regression models explored the relationship between volunteer frequency and sitting time, adjusting for confounders. Results The mean daily sitting time was 357.66 ± 240.40 minutes. Participants volunteering four or more times weekly reported significantly shorter sitting times compared to non-participants, with an average difference of 131.96 minutes (95% CI: -253.83 to -10.08) in the multivariable-adjusted model. This association was stronger among males (difference: 180.51 minutes; 95% CI: -353.84 to -7.28) and older adults aged ≥65 years (difference of 142.48 minutes; 95% CI: -272.58 to -12.38). Conclusion Frequent volunteering is associated with shorter sitting times, particularly among males and older adults. However, due to the cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be made, and the associations should be interpreted with caution. Compared to Western populations, sitting time was lower, but it still exceeded public health recommendations. Future research should explore the longitudinal effects and identify specific volunteer activities that promote active lifestyles.
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Az önkéntes munkavégzés egy olyan proszociális viselkedésforma, amely hatással van úgy az önkéntesség végzője, mint haszonélvezője pszichológiai és szociális jóllétére, fizikai egészségére és fiziológiai mutatóira is. Tanulmányunk célja feltárni, majd szisztematikus áttekintő tanulmány formájában ismertetni az önkéntesség fizikai és mentális egészséggel való kapcsolatáról az utóbbi évtizedekben született legfontosabb hazai és nemzetközi empirikus vizsgálatok eredményeit. A kutatások eredményei alapján az önkéntesség és a jóllét kapcsolata kétirányú: a legtöbb önkéntes jólléte már az önkéntesség kezdetekor magasabb, ugyanakkor maga a tevékenység végzése is bizonyíthatóan kedvező hatással van a személy fizikai, pszichológiai és szociális jóllétére, amely egyéni különbségeket mutat az önkéntesség időtartamával, gyakoriságával, típusával és a személy egyéb jellemzőivel (pl. életkor, egészségi állapot) interakcióba kerülve. A kutatók jelentős része egyetért abban, hogy az önkéntesség alacsonyabb depresszióval, funkcionális korlátozottsággal és mortalitási rátával jár együtt, amely összefüggés időskorban mutatkozik a legerősebbnek. A mentális egészségre gyakorolt hatás okai között a pszichológiai (pl. énhatékonyság, önbecsülés, élettel való elégedettség) és szociális (a társas integráció és a támogató rendszer bővülése) erőforrások gyarapodását, a pozitív hangulati állapotok növekedését, valamint a negatív hangulati állapotok csökkenését azonosították a vonatkozó vizsgálatokban. A fizikai jóllét növekedése hátterében a megnövekedett fizikai aktivitást találjuk, amelynek folyományaként egy kedvezőbb hormonális, immunrendszeri és kardiovaszkuláris profil azonosítható. Ezen mechanizmusok révén az önkéntesség az egészséges idősödés egyik legfontosabb közvetítőjévé válhat, így közegészségügyi jelentősége mind prevenciós, mind pedig intervenciós szempontból kiemelkedő.
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Community-based peer volunteer interventions are increasingly used with people who are asylum seekers and refugees accessing health services. There is a dearth of evidence evaluating the benefits of volunteering for asylum seeking or refugee volunteers. Volunteers may have poor mental health and feel socially isolated due to their experiences as refugees and asylum seekers and may struggle or be unable to obtain paid employment. Volunteering in other contexts has been found to be beneficial to the health and well-being of the volunteer. This paper reports on an aspect of a wider study evaluating the community-based Health Access for Refugees Project, with the aim of exploring the impact of volunteering on the health and well-being of the peer (asylum seeker or refugee) volunteer. In 2020, we conducted qualitative semistructured interviews by phone with 15 volunteers who were asylum seekers or refugees. The interviews were audio recorded, data were transcribed verbatim and the data set was thematically analysed. We found that the positive relationships which developed and the training received through volunteering boosted volunteers' mental well-being. They felt motivated and confident in helping others, felt a sense of belonging and this reduced their social isolation. They also believed they benefited personally, helping their access to health services, and preparing them for future education, training or a career. In light of the beneficial nature of volunteering identified in this study, establishing more volunteering opportunities for this population and other marginalised groups with poor mental health is recommended. However, more research is needed to assess both the long-term impact of the role in terms of the peer volunteer's health and well-being, and the societal benefit of people moving on, integrating and contributing to society.
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This study collected data from 362 men who had sex with men at cruising areas in the Netherlands, and measured characteristics of respondents, sexual risk behavior, and risk perceptions. Furthermore, the study assessed whether outreach activities at cruising areas promote safe sex behavior. Almost one in five respondents reported having sex with both men and women, and 18.5% of respondents reported sexual risk behavior at cruising areas. Men who had a conversation about safe sex with a volunteer used condoms more consistently than men who had not spoken with a volunteer. Finally, it was found that behaviorally bisexual men used condoms less frequently at cruising areas. The relatively high levels of risk-taking sex stress the importance of HIV prevention at cruising areas. Furthermore, special attention could be given to cruising area visitors who have sex with both men and women, because they report higher levels of risk behavior and have less access to safer sex information regarding homosexual behavior.
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In this document, the framework for carrying out systematic reviews is described in three stages: planning, reviewing and disseminating. The need for a review should be established before commissioning or commencing review work. The methodology of the review should be documented and working arrangements should be put in place to ensure that the methods can be followed. Finally, there should be a strategy for putting together a report of the review and disseminating its findings to relevant audiences, and if possible, updating the review. The stages of a review and the phases within them are described consecutively. However, this chronology may vary during the review. It will not always be possible to complete one phase before another has to be started, and sometimes it will be more efficient to work on several phases simultaneously. It is essential that good communication is maintained between those commissioning or supervising the review and those carrying it out. To aid the process, this framework includes agendas for some joint meetings. These meetings help set a timetable and ensure that the review work receives the required direction and support. The number of meetings and their schedule may have to be tailored to suit the requirements of a given review. The content of this report draws on information from several sources. All the steps necessary to undertake a systematic review have been listed, but it is not possible to provide definitive advice on all of the methods. This is because the science of systematically reviewing the literature is relatively young, and many methodological issues are still being explored. Therefore this guidance is to assist those conducting reviews to reach a minimum standard based on the understanding of the subject at the time of writing. Reviewers wishing to obtain up-to-date information in this area should look at the Cochrane Methodology Database and systematic reviews of empirical methodological research in the Cochrane Library. New advice is incorporated in updates of the Cochrane Reviewers' Handbook (URL: http://www.updatesoftware. com/ccweb/cochrane/hbook.htm) and the ‘Resources available at the CRD’ web site (URL: http:// www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/).
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In most modern hospitals, volunteers perform invaluable services and contribute a great deal to the success of the hospital. The quality of medical care in a hospital is traditionally evaluated from the institutional point of view, and the viewpoints of patients and hospital staff are often neglected. We surveyed both hospital inpatients and nursing personnel regarding their opinions of the impact of hospital volunteers on the quality of medical care. Inpatients and nursing personnel at The Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital were separately surveyed using simple questionnaires asking their opinions on the helpfulness of hospital volunteers and whether the presence of volunteers affected the quality of medical care provided at the hospital. Of the 204 patients who participated in the survey, 179 (88.6% of those who answered) felt that hospital volunteers brought them joy and hope, 110 (73.3%) felt that the most important contribution of the volunteers was their visiting and comforting, and 171 (84.6%) felt that the volunteers contributed to the quality of medical care they received. Of the 240 nurses who participated in the survey, 121 (50.6% of those who answered) felt that the visiting and comforting of patients was the volunteers' most important contribution and 209 (92.5%) felt that volunteers had a positive impact on medical care quality. This study showed that most patients at The Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital found volunteers to be helpful and felt that the volunteers brought them hopes and joys. This study also revealed that both hospital inpatients and nurses strongly felt that the hospital volunteers significantly contributed to the quality of medical care provided in the hospital.
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