8.8.1: Civic Participation
Although the idea of “civic participation” often evokes the idea of involvement in voting, politics and governance, this is not the entirety of what it encompasses. Being involved in one’s community can take on many forms, whether it’s membership in a faith-based organization, sports or hobby clubs, volunteering or advocacy groups. Civic participation includes any activities that have benefits for the group members or society as a whole. These types of activities are not only beneficial to individual health, they are also used as a health outcome measure - and are therefore evidence of a healthy community.
Participation in recreational and volunteer activities is associated with increased physical activity, which makes sense particularly if the activities are related to sports, dance, fitness, or community gardening. Volunteerism can also increase physical activity as many opportunities to help those in need or to improve the built environment require some movement. Lifting boxes to distribute food at a food pantry, repairing a community center or painting a mural all require some physical activity. But these actions also benefit mental/emotional and social health. And typically people who engage in them report higher levels of overall well-being ( Civic Participation - Healthy People 2030 , n.d.). See Fig. \(\PageIndex{1}\) below.
Voting is associated with improved levels of self-reported health as well. Perhaps it is the case that those individuals who are healthy are more likely to be involved in local and national politics, and those with poorer health may feel less connected and disempowered. Or perhaps taking actions that you perceive will benefit yourself and/or your community tends to improve your mental and emotional health. Belonging to a group also decreases loneliness, which has implications for mental and emotional health, and builds social capital. Social capital is like an investment; if you invest your time into your community, you can expect social support in times of trouble as well ( Civic Participation - Healthy People 2030 , n.d.).
Disenfranchisement (depriving people of the right to vote) works to harm health via several mechanisms. Modern forms of disenfranchisement include voter suppression, voter intimidation, and gerrymandering, which all work to decrease the power of an individual’s vote, and decrease the power of specific communities to vote for representatives who will champion their needs (P. A. Braveman et al., 2022). This can lead to less public investment in minoritized neighborhoods, fewer parks and greenspaces built or maintained, and less funding set aside for community services and programs. Policymakers may also be more willing to allow businesses that produce toxic byproducts into the community, or to zone land for projects that have health hazards - particularly if they doubt these actions will have an effect on their political career.