NEW STUDY DETAILS BENEFITS
Insurer UnitedHealth Group and the Optum Institute, a research firm, released a study in 2013 that claimed volunteering lead to better physical, emotional and mental health. The report, “Doing Good for You: 2014 Health and Volunteering Study,” claimed that more than 75 percent of United States adults who volunteered made them feel physically healthier, while more than 77 percent said volunteering activities lowered levels of stress.
Employers also benefitted from employees who volunteered, the study claimed, noting that the employees who volunteered enjoyed better health and grew in their professional skills by volunteering.
Beyond feeling healthier and having less stress, volunteers also reported that they felt a purpose in their activities, connecting more deeply with their communities and others. They also felt more educated and engaged in managing their health.
The study surveyed more than 3,300 United States adults to obtain its results.
CLINICAL VOLUNTEERS
Without volunteers, medical research would not make as much progress in as timely a fashion. Some researchers claim that certain clinical studies would not be possible without volunteers.
Why do people take the risks of a clinical trial? They may have a personal stake, in that a disease may have affected a close friend or family member. They may have a personal interest in science or medicine and want to contribute to expanding the frontiers. Or they may simply have an interest in improving medical care for generations to come.