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Perceived neighbourhood safety and volunteerism among older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2020

Erin G. Grinshteyn Open the ORCID record for Erin G. Grinshteyn [Opens in a new window]  and
Judith A. Sugar
Erin G. Grinshteyn*
Affiliation:
Health Professions Department, School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Judith A. Sugar
Affiliation:
School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Previous research shows the benefits of volunteerism to individuals and communities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether lower perceived neighbourhood safety is associated with reduced volunteerism and whether this association differs by sex. Data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study in the United States of America were used (N = 13,009 adults 60 years and older). Multivariate logistic regression models were estimated to assess the association between perceived neighbourhood safety and volunteerism while controlling for potential confounders. Perceived neighbourhood safety was associated with volunteering. The odds of volunteering were higher for those rating their perceived neighbourhood safety as excellent compared with those rating their perceived neighbourhood safety as fair/poor. Those rating their perceived neighbourhood safety as very good also had greater odds of volunteering than those rating their perceived neighbourhood safety as fair/poor. Results differed somewhat by gender. Men who perceived their neighbourhood safety as excellent had increased odds of volunteering. The association of neighbourhood safety with volunteerism was significant for women rating their perceived neighbourhood safety as excellent or very good. Among men, being married was associated with increased odds of volunteering; being completely or partly retired was associated with increased odds of volunteering among women. Initiatives aimed at improving older adults’ perceptions of safety would help improve volunteerism, which is beneficial to both older adults and communities.

Keywords

volunteer activityperceived safetyneighbourhoodwomenfear of crime
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Issue 12 , December 2021 , pp. 2914 - 2932
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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