The bizarre hidden health benefits of voting in the midterm elections

Older Americans who cast a ballot appear to live longer than those who stay home, according to research by economist Femida Handy and social psychologist Sara Konrath, who study altruism and health. Their finding adds civic participation to the familiar list of habits tied to longevity, such as eating vegetables, exercising and sleeping well, according to The Independent.

The pair drew on the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which has tracked a random group of the state's high school graduates since 1957. Using verified voting records from Catalist and National Death Index data, they compared people 65 and older who voted in the 2008 presidential election with those who did not. Voters faced a 45% lower chance of death within five years, 37% lower at ten years and 29% lower at fifteen. Results were stronger for the 2008 and 2012 elections than for 2004.

The advantage held after accounting for gender, marital status, income, volunteering and earlier health. People in poorer health at the outset gained more. Voting in person or by mail, and whether one's candidate won, made no real difference. The authors did not test causes, but suggest stress reduction, self-efficacy, civic duty and social connection may play a role, as with volunteering.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →