22 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com “His music is magic to everyone, and he feels good giving back,” Sancho said. The observations of Sancho and others continue to be reflected in studies of patients experiencing health conditions and hoping to prevent health complications. In a study by the American Society of Pain Management Nurses, individuals suffering from chronic pain experienced a decline in pain intensity, levels of disability and depression when they served as peer volunteers for others in chronic pain. Narrative data notes that a feeling of connection and sense of purpose emerged. As for disease prevention, findings suggest volunteerism may be an effective, non-pharmacological intervention for hypertension, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and mortality. A Carnegie Mellon University study confirmed that of 1,654 participants between the ages of 51 and 91, those who had volunteered 200 hours or more in a year were 40% less likely to develop hypertension than nonvolunteers. Extending this observation on volunteering and heart health, an analysis by AmeriCorps using health and volunteering data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that “states with higher volunteer rates are more likely to have lower rates of mortality and less incidence of heart disease.” In South Carolina, 30.8% of residents volunteer, which is 32nd among the 50 states. The death rate for heart disease in 2020 was 31st. “For some, it’s a way of giving back to an organization that served someone they loved. For others, volunteering is a way of ‘paying it forward,’” Perry said. “Whether the kindness manifests by pulling out a chair for someone or helping them when they walk, the social aspect makes a huge difference with regard to their health and mental status,” Sancho added. “We have learned that people who were givers in their lives want to keep giving even as their minds fade,” Sancho explained. “When they can give, or when they receive kindness, there are positive effects on their well-being every day.”
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