EXCEPTION TO THE RULES? - Investigating Predictors of Late-Life Volunteerism in North Dakota - Vol. 9 No. S2 1229

Sep 29, 2026

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The study examines predictors of late-life volunteerism among older adults in North Dakota and compares them with similarly high-rate control states and Nevada, which has the lowest volunteerism rate. Using a 65+ subset from the 2023 Current Population Survey Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement, logistic regression identifies gender, higher education, and contact with others as significant predictors across North Dakota, Nebraska, and Nevada. Subsequent t-tests and ANOVA reveal state differences, including lower contact and education in North Dakota relative to Nevada, and greater rurality. Findings suggest contact with others may be especially important, warranting further research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and data source

Statistical analyses and findings

Implications and future research

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1229 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4111 EXCEPTION TO THE RULES?: INVESTIGATING PREDICTORS OF LATE-LIFE VOLUNTEERISM IN NORTH DAKOTA Bryce Van Vleet1, and Emily Kinkade2, 1. Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States, 2. NDSU Extension, Fargo, North Dakota, United States Volunteering in late life is predicted by younger age, higher education, and better health among other factors. Despite North Dakota being an aging, rural state with health outcomes and educational attainment lower than the national average, late-life volunteerism outpaces the US national average. The current project investigates predictors of volunteerism in North Dakotan older adults and compares those predictors to control states with similarly high rates of volunteerism, and Nevada, the state with the lowest rate of volunteerism. An older adult (65+) subset of the 2023 Current Population Survey, Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement was utilized. A logistic regression found gender, higher education, and contact with others to be significant predictors of volunteerism in North Dakota, Nebraska, and Nevada. Next, t-tests identified differences in volunteerism predictors between North Dakota and Nevada. Older North Dakotans had less contact with others, were less racially diverse, and were more rural. Last, an ANOVA was conducted to investigate differences in predictors between North Dakota and Nevada, and two 1230 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 regional control states: Utah and Nebraska. North Dakotans were more rural than all other comparison states, had lower education and less contact with others than Nevada only, but had greater contact with others than Utah. These findings indicate that factors other than established demographic predictors of volunteerism, such as contact with others, may be important predictors of volunteerism among older adults. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, future research is needed to investigate these implications further.

FAQs

What data set and age group were used in the study?

The analysis used a 65+ subset of the 2023 Current Population Survey, Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement.

Which factors were significant predictors of volunteerism?

Logistic regression found gender, higher education, and contact with others to be significant predictors in North Dakota, Nebraska, and Nevada.

How did North Dakota’s predictors compare with Nevada’s?

T-tests and later comparisons indicate older North Dakotans had less contact with others and lower education than Nevada, along with less racial diversity and greater rurality.

Sep 29, 2026

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