Title |
Is volunteering a public health intervention? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the health and survival of volunteers
|
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Published in |
BMC Public Health, August 2013
|
DOI | 10.1186/1471-2458-13-773 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Caroline E Jenkinson, Andy P Dickens, Kerry Jones, Jo Thompson-Coon, Rod S Taylor, Morwenna Rogers, Clare L Bambra, Iain Lang, Suzanne H Richards |
Abstract |
Volunteering has been advocated by the United Nations, and American and European governments as a way to engage people in their local communities and improve social capital, with the potential for public health benefits such as improving wellbeing and decreasing health inequalities. Furthermore, the US Corporation for National and Community Service Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 focused on increasing the impact of national service on community needs, supporting volunteers' wellbeing, and prioritising recruitment and engagement of underrepresented populations. The aims of this review were to examine the effect of formal volunteering on volunteers' physical and mental health and survival, and to explore the influence of volunteering type and intensity on health outcomes. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 53 | 28% |
United States | 14 | 7% |
Canada | 13 | 7% |
Spain | 8 | 4% |
Netherlands | 6 | 3% |
Australia | 6 | 3% |
Tanzania, United Republic of | 5 | 3% |
Ireland | 3 | 2% |
Nigeria | 2 | 1% |
Other | 7 | 4% |
Unknown | 70 | 37% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 128 | 68% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 39 | 21% |
Scientists | 18 | 10% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 6 | 1% |
Australia | 3 | <1% |
United States | 2 | <1% |
Hong Kong | 1 | <1% |
Brazil | 1 | <1% |
Norway | 1 | <1% |
Belgium | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 552 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 88 | 15% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 84 | 15% |
Researcher | 74 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 69 | 12% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 36 | 6% |
Other | 96 | 17% |
Unknown | 121 | 21% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 105 | 18% |
Social Sciences | 100 | 18% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 82 | 14% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 42 | 7% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 16 | 3% |
Other | 79 | 14% |
Unknown | 144 | 25% |