Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health?
Introduction: Experiences of trauma impact mental and physical health; civic engagement, including volunteering, may alleviate trauma-related health consequences. Research objective: Examine the association between war-related trauma and worsening health outcomes, and how volunteering may buffer the...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | SSM - Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266656032500057X |
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| author | Sharon Stein Merkin Liat Orenstein |
| author_facet | Sharon Stein Merkin Liat Orenstein |
| author_sort | Sharon Stein Merkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Experiences of trauma impact mental and physical health; civic engagement, including volunteering, may alleviate trauma-related health consequences. Research objective: Examine the association between war-related trauma and worsening health outcomes, and how volunteering may buffer the harmful health effects of trauma. Methods: We administered a population-based survey of Israelis ages 18+, with a total sample of n = 1129. Trauma exposure was assessed since the war onset (October 7, 2023) and included direct (witnessed/experienced) and indirect (experienced by family/close friend) violent trauma, displacement (experienced), and seeking sheltering frequently from rocket attacks (experienced). Data on volunteering type and intensity was collected; health outcomes included self-reported worse physical health, mental health, sleep and initiating ≥3 negative health behaviors since October 7th. Results: Multivariable results showed robust associations between indirect violent trauma, displacement and worsening health outcomes and some association between direct violent trauma and worse sleep and behaviors, after adjustment for co-occurring trauma exposure, sociodemographic factors, social wellbeing and volunteering. The association between displacement and worse mental health was limited to non-volunteers. We also found indication of health risk associated with engaging in ≥3 volunteering activities. Conclusions: Results show physical and mental health effects of exposure to war-related trauma and suggest that volunteering may prevent worsening mental health but may contribute to worsening physical health. Research is needed to determine the longer-term effects of volunteering post-trauma. Focusing on a social intervention, civic engagement, to mitigate pathological processes related to traumatic stress may lead to innovative ways to promote wellbeing in times of crisis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fed770fc8a7141998b89075376bfe73e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-5603 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM - Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-fed770fc8a7141998b89075376bfe73e2025-08-20T02:33:51ZengElsevierSSM - Mental Health2666-56032025-06-01710044510.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100445Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health?Sharon Stein Merkin0Liat Orenstein1Gertner Institute of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Corresponding author.Gertner Institute of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Tel Aviv University Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv, IsraelIntroduction: Experiences of trauma impact mental and physical health; civic engagement, including volunteering, may alleviate trauma-related health consequences. Research objective: Examine the association between war-related trauma and worsening health outcomes, and how volunteering may buffer the harmful health effects of trauma. Methods: We administered a population-based survey of Israelis ages 18+, with a total sample of n = 1129. Trauma exposure was assessed since the war onset (October 7, 2023) and included direct (witnessed/experienced) and indirect (experienced by family/close friend) violent trauma, displacement (experienced), and seeking sheltering frequently from rocket attacks (experienced). Data on volunteering type and intensity was collected; health outcomes included self-reported worse physical health, mental health, sleep and initiating ≥3 negative health behaviors since October 7th. Results: Multivariable results showed robust associations between indirect violent trauma, displacement and worsening health outcomes and some association between direct violent trauma and worse sleep and behaviors, after adjustment for co-occurring trauma exposure, sociodemographic factors, social wellbeing and volunteering. The association between displacement and worse mental health was limited to non-volunteers. We also found indication of health risk associated with engaging in ≥3 volunteering activities. Conclusions: Results show physical and mental health effects of exposure to war-related trauma and suggest that volunteering may prevent worsening mental health but may contribute to worsening physical health. Research is needed to determine the longer-term effects of volunteering post-trauma. Focusing on a social intervention, civic engagement, to mitigate pathological processes related to traumatic stress may lead to innovative ways to promote wellbeing in times of crisis.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266656032500057XCivic engagementVolunteeringWar-related traumaMental and physical healthSleep |
| spellingShingle | Sharon Stein Merkin Liat Orenstein Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? SSM - Mental Health Civic engagement Volunteering War-related trauma Mental and physical health Sleep |
| title | Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? |
| title_full | Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? |
| title_fullStr | Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? |
| title_short | Civic engagement during crisis: Does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health? |
| title_sort | civic engagement during crisis does volunteering buffer the impact of trauma on worsening physical and mental health |
| topic | Civic engagement Volunteering War-related trauma Mental and physical health Sleep |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266656032500057X |
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