Does volunteer work affect life satisfaction of participants with chronic functional limitations? An empirical investigation

Katia Marchesano and Marco Musella

Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 2020, vol. 69, issue C

Abstract: As highlighted in the field of the social determinants of health, welfare programmes need to address psychosocial and material needs, since both are drivers of health conditions. This study is based on the assumption that volunteer work (unpaid activity defined here as ‘social treatment’- policy) may foster a higher life satisfaction of people with a chronic disability (resulting from long-term functional limitations). In particular, the analysis empirically tests a causal effect of an active participation in volunteer work on the life satisfaction of the participants, taking into consideration the role of self-reported quality of the public services provided (transport, emergency health and education services) and the big five individual personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness).

Keywords: Social determinants; Social engagement; Personality traits; Life satisfaction; Causality; Disability; Italy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A12 D03 D60 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:soceps:v:69:y:2020:i:c:s0038012119300424

DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2019.04.005

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