The health implications of civic association in Russia

Can civic and political participation influence health outcomes, and if so, does the general aversion to joining community activities have some connection to poor health outcomes in Russia? Using data from surveys of 18,000+ urban Russians conducted from 2003 to 2005 and controlling for a wide range of variables, we find that individuals who join collective civic and political activities report better health than non-joiners and that living in a participatory community may enhance one’s health, regardless of one’s own participation.

► Over 18,000 urban Russians were surveyed to test the effects of civic engagement on self-rated health.
► Individuals who joined collective civic and political activities reported better health than non-joiners.
► Living in a participatory community was associated with better self-rated health, regardless of individual participation.
► Feelings of empowerment may be the healthful mechanism connecting civic engagement and health.