Research Shows 'Something You Might Already Be Doing' Can Reduce Premature Death Risk by 45%
A new study found that elderly voters had up to 45% lower mortality risk in the five years following the 2008 U.S. presidential election, with benefits persisting for up to 15 years, suggesting voting may have protective health effects beyo
New research is opening an intriguing perspective that voting may not just be a democratic responsibility but could also affect human health and lifespan, particularly among elderly people. Scientists built on previous research about altruistic behaviors such as volunteering, which have already been shown to benefit health, but this time they wanted to see whether voting behavior would have preventive health effects.
Results published in the Journals of Gerontology found that among elderly people, voting in the 2008 U.S. presidential election was associated with reduced risk of premature death and could be linked to increased longevity of up to 15 years. Researchers tracked health data of participants, comparing those who voted with those who didn't, and analyzed mortality risk over 5, 10, and 15 years following the election.
Results showed that the voting group had significantly lower mortality risk, with reductions of up to 45% in the first five years, and these benefits persisted long-term. Notably, those who benefited most were people with poor baseline health who still went to vote, showing continued positive effects lasting up to 15 years.
Researchers explained that these results cannot be explained by common factors like income, education level, social participation, or even political affiliation, suggesting there are more complex behavioral and social factors at play.
Overall, scholars view voting as part of a cycle connecting health and public policy, since health affects voting while election results influence laws and policies that impact public health, such as infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and access to public spaces.
Researchers thus propose that promoting voting access should not be viewed solely as a political matter but could also be part of public health promotion, especially in aging societies that need greater participation and social connection.
