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Community-Level Participation in Volunteer Groups and Individual Depressive Symptoms in Japanese Older People: A Three-Year Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis Using JAGES Data

Author

Listed:
  • Motoki Tamura

    (School of Health Innovation, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
    Research Department, Institute for Health Economics and Policy, Tokyo 105-0003, Japan)

  • Shinji Hattori

    (Research Department, Institute for Health Economics and Policy, Tokyo 105-0003, Japan
    Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

  • Taishi Tsuji

    (Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
    Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tokyo 112-0012, Japan)

  • Katsunori Kondo

    (Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
    Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu 474-8511, Japan)

  • Masamichi Hanazato

    (Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

  • Kanami Tsuno

    (School of Health Innovation, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan)

  • Hiroyuki Sakamaki

    (School of Health Innovation, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan)

Abstract

Background: The current study aimed to investigate the contextual effect of volunteer group participation on subsequent depressive symptoms in older people. Methods: We analyzed the longitudinal data of 37,552 people aged 65 years and older in 24 municipalities surveyed in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Volunteer group participation of older people was assessed in 2013 by one question and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale 15 in 2016. To investigate a contextual effect, we aggregated individual-level volunteer group participation by each residence area as a community-level independent variable. We conducted a two-level multilevel Poisson regression analysis using the Random Intercepts and Fixed Slopes Model. Results: The average proportion of community-level volunteer group participation was 10.6%. The results of the Poisson regression analysis showed that community-level volunteer group participation reduced the risk for the onset of depressive symptoms by 13% with a 10 percentage point increase in participation, after adjusting for sex, age, population density, total annual sunshine hours and annual rainfall (incident rate ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.98). Conclusions: Older people living in areas with higher volunteer group participation had a lower risk of developing depressive symptoms regardless of whether or not they participated in a volunteer group.

Suggested Citation

  • Motoki Tamura & Shinji Hattori & Taishi Tsuji & Katsunori Kondo & Masamichi Hanazato & Kanami Tsuno & Hiroyuki Sakamaki, 2021. "Community-Level Participation in Volunteer Groups and Individual Depressive Symptoms in Japanese Older People: A Three-Year Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis Using JAGES Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:14:p:7502-:d:594242
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kumiko Nonaka & Hiroyuki Suzuki & Hiroshi Murayama & Masami Hasebe & Takashi Koike & Erika Kobayashi & Yoshinori Fujiwara, 2017. "For how many days and what types of group activities should older Japanese adults be involved in to maintain health? A 4-year longitudinal study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(9), pages 1-12, September.
    2. Musick, Marc A. & Wilson, John, 2003. "Volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 259-269, January.
    3. Yoko Sugihara & Hidehiro Sugisawa & Hiroshi Shibata & Ken Harada, 2008. "Productive Roles, Gender, and Depressive Symptoms: Evidence From a National Longitudinal Study of Late-Middle-Aged Japanese," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(4), pages 227-234.
    4. Satoko Fujihara & Taishi Tsuji & Yasuhiro Miyaguni & Jun Aida & Masashige Saito & Shihoko Koyama & Katsunori Kondo, 2019. "Does Community-Level Social Capital Predict Decline in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living? A JAGES Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.
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