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Study Says Voting is Linked to Longer Lives
Voting may contribute to a longer lifespan, according to a recently released study.
The longitudinal study, entitled "Voting behavior and mortality risk in older adults:Evidence from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study,” published in the Journals of Gerontology, demonstrated that voters were 45% less likely to die within five years after the 2008 election, 37% less likely to die 10 years after the election, and 29% less likely to die 15 years later.
Social psychologist Sara Konrath, Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University and Economist Femida Handy, Professor of Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania, who study altruism and health, found that voting is associated with a lower later risk of mortality.
Other findings include:
- Both in-person and remote voting are associated with decreased mortality risk, suggesting that voting itself is more important than the method of voting, Konrath noted.
- Those in poorer health to begin with benefited more from voting 15 years later than those who had been healthier before they voted.
- Voters still had a lower risk of dying when we controlled for demographic factors such as gender, marital status and income, other forms of civic engagement such as volunteering, and a voter’s health status prior to voting.
Although the exact explanations aren’t known, studies consistently show a link between volunteering and a lower mortality risk, which suggests that participating in civic life—even something as simple as casting a ballot— may be good for your health and contribute to longevity. Click to read more about the study.
Source: Indiana University - Lilly Familt School of Philanthrophy.