Formal and Informal Volunteerism in Mid- and Later-Life: Examining Ethnoracial Differences Among Asian Americans and Other Groups

Abstract

Volunteering generally enhances the health and well-being of midlife and older adults, yet patterns among Asian Americans, particularly for informal volunteerism, remain underexplored. This study analyzed data from the 2019 and 2021 Current Population Survey’s Civic Engagement and Volunteering Supplement (N = 9,537; age range: 50–75). Results show Asian Americans in this sample had the lowest odds of volunteering compared to other groups, even after accounting for socioeconomic resources. Education’s positive effect on formal volunteering was weaker for Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics compared to Asians. For informal volunteering, higher education had a weaker effect for Blacks, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Hispanics, while higher income had a stronger effect for American Indian/Alaska Natives and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, compared to Asians. These findings highlight the need for culturally tailored interventions to address barriers, such as providing translation services and skill-based training for Asians with lower education. This dataset is limited in capturing cultural and immigration-related factors; hence, future research should examine intra-ethnic differences as well as cultural and structural factors shaping volunteering.

Keywords

Asian Americans civic engagement disparities education productive aging race successful aging volunteerism and civic engagement

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