Animals & general human health

Pets and Human Health in Germany and Australia: National Longitudinal Results

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:41:32 -0400

Journal Social Indicators Research

Issue Volume 80, Number 2 / January, 2007 Pages 297-311

Bruce Headey

Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic & Social Research, University of Melbourne, 3052 Parkville, Australia

Markus M. Grabka

SOEP, German Institute of Economic Research (DIW), Koenigin-Luise Str. 5, 14195 Berlin, Germany

Accepted: 10 November 2005 Published online: 11 May 2006

The German and Australian longitudinal surveys analysed here are the first national representative surveys to show that (1) people who continuously own a pet are the healthiest group and (2) people who cease to have a pet or never had one are less healthy. Most previous studies which have claimed that pets confer health benefits were cross-sectional. So they were open to the objection that owners may have been healthier in the first place, rather than becoming healthier due to owning a pet. In both countries the data show that pet owners make about 15% fewer annual doctor visits than non-owners. The relationship remains statistically significant after controlling for gender, age, marital status, income and other variables associated with health. The German data come from the German Socio-Economic Panel in which respondents have been interviewed every year since 1984 (N = 9723). Australian data come from the Australian National Social Science Survey 2001 (N = 1246).

Influences of Pets on the Empty Nester Family

anthrozoology — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:01:20 -0400

Fu Na & Zheng Richang; Psychology College Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875

Chinese Mental Health Journal Vol 17, Number 8, August 2003

Objective: To investigate the influence of pets on the empty nester. Method: 719 families have been investigated with ADL (activity of daily living) and questions about life satisfaction , 161 of them owned pets. Result: There was no significant difference between pet-owners and others (control) in gender, occupations and family income. The pet owners were younger than the control group. More of them were married, and they have lower education than control group. The pet owners had better mental and physical states than the control. The above differences were significant in statistics. Conclusion: Pet owners are younger, lower educated , their marriages are more stable, and they have better mental and physical states. Further research shall be carried on the respects of social support, life events and pet dependence.

The pet connection: pets as a conduit for social capital?

anthrozoology — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:59:12 -0400

Lisa Wood, Billie Giles-Corti, Max Bulsara; School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia

Social Science and Medicine 61 (2005) 1159-1173

There is growing interest across a range of disciplines in the relationship between pets and health, with a range of therapeutic, physiological, psychological and psychosocial benefits now documented. While much of the literature has focused on the individual benefits of pet ownership, this study considered the potential health benefits that might accrue to the broader community, as encapsulated in the construct of social capital. A random survey of 339 residents from Perth, Western Australia were selected from three suburbs and interviewed by telephone. Pet ownership was found to be positively associated with some forms of social contact and interaction, and with perceptions of neighbourhood friendliness. After adjustment for demographic variables, pet owners scored higher on social capital and civic engagement scales. The results suggest that pet ownership provides potential opportunities for interactions between neighbours and that further research in this area is warranted. Social capital is another potential mechanism by which pets exert an influence on human health.

Pet Dogs Benefit Owners' Health: A ‘Natural Experiment' in China

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:48:32 -0400

Journal Social Indicators Research

Bruce Headey

University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, 3052, Australia

Fu Na and Richard Zheng

Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Received: 24 November 2006 Accepted: 14 May 2007 Published online: 6 June 2007

This paper reports results from a ‘natural experiment' taking place in China on the impact of dogs on owners' health. Previous Western research has reported modest health benefits, but results have remained controversial. In China pets were banned in urban areas until 1992. Since then dog ownership has grown quite rapidly in the major cities, especially among younger women. In these quasi-experimental conditions, we hypothesise that dog ownership will show greater health benefits than in the West. Results are given from a survey of women aged 25-40 in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (N = 3031). Half the respondents owned dogs and half did not. Owners reported better health-related outcomes. They exercised more frequently, slept better, had higher self-reported fitness and health, took fewer days off sick from work and were seen less by doctors. The concluding section indicates how these results may be integrated and suggests further research on the potential economic benefits of pets.

Health benefits and potential budget savings due to pets:

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:37:39 -0400

Health benefits and potential budget savings due to pets: Australian and German survey results

Australian Social Monitor: Volume 2, Number 2: May 1999

Bruce Headey and Peter Krause

Australian and German dog and cat owners use health services less than the rest of the population. In both countries pet owners make about 12-15% fewer annual doctor visits than non-owners. German owners spend 32% fewer nights in hospital. Benefits appear particularly strong for older people, the population group with the worst health and heaviest use of health services. The paper also links the survey results to national health expenditure in order to estimate potential savings due to pet ownership. Indicative estimates are given of $2 billion savings for Australia in 1994-95 and DM9 billion for Germany in 1996.

Do Pet Owners Enjoy Better Health? Results from the German Soci-Economic Panel

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:34:30 -0400

Associate Professor Bruce HeadeyUniversity of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Animals, Community Health and Public Policy Symposium, 27th November 1998 Results from the German Socio-Economic Panel Survey (N=13400) indicate linkages between dog and cat ownership and lower use of health services. These linkages were initially found in small-scale Australian, American and British studies, a few of which had prospective designs and thus suggested causal links rather than just statistical associations (Anderson et al, 1992; Friedman et al, 1980; Friedman, 1995; Serpell, 1991; Siegel, 1990).

Pet ownership: good for health?

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:31:43 -0400

Medical Journal of Australia Vol 179 3 November 2003

Bruce Headey, Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC

IN THE CURRENT ISSUE of the Journal (page 466), Parslow and Jorm reopen the debate about whether pets benefit human health. They give the results of a high quality Australian sample survey indicating that pet owners do not have lower blood pressure than non-owners, and, in this respect at least, are not at lower risk of heart disease. Their results run counter to an earlier Australian study,2 based on a large volunteer sample, in which pet owners were found to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Health Benefits and Health Cost Savings Due to Pets: Preliminary Estimates from an Australian National Survey

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:27:23 -0400

Journal Social Indicators Research

Issue Volume 47, Number 2 / June, 1999, Pages 233-243

Bruce Headey

Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, 3052 Parkville, Victoria, Australia

American, Australian and British studies have shown that pet dogs and cats confer health benefits on their owners. This paper reports results from the first national survey (N = 1011) estimating the magnitude of these benefits. The survey showed that dog and cat owners make fewer annual doctor visits and are less likely to be on medication for heart problems and sleeping difficulties than non-owners. An important public policy implication is that pet ownership probably reduces national health expenditure. By linking sample survey results to data on health expenditure, the paper proposes a method of estimating savings. A preliminary estimate of savings of $988 million is given for Australia for financial year 1994--95.

The People, Pets and Planning Symposium

anthrozoology — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:32:57 -0400

In the fast pace of modern life, humans are experiencing health challenges at an unprecedented rate. Disease as a consequence of lifestyle is now common and is predicted to steadily rise. Obesity, mental illness and physical inactivity are all creating an increasing burden on our economy. Turning this trend around will require new thinking.

Research in public health has shown that restoring our connections with each other and with our environment will have benefits for individual health and for the community as a whole.

We now know that some of the simplest pleasures in our lives are among the most important to our health and wellbeing. Walking in our neighbourhood, interacting with people and animals, enjoying the natural environment have all been shown to play a significant role in supporting physical and mental health.

Pet Ownership Predicts Adherence to Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

anthrozoology — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:03:24 -0400

Mary M. Herrald, Joe Tomaka, Amanda Y. Medina

This experiment examined the effects of pet ownership and potential mediating (e.g., social support) and moderating variables (e.g., gender, personality, pet attachment) on completion of a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program. This experiment assessed pet ownership, personality, and psychosocial variables at the beginning of the program and followed participants through to completion. Results showed that pet owners (96.5%) were significantly more likely to complete cardiac rehabilitation compared with non-owners (79.2%). Covariance analyses ruled out several alternative explanations for the results, including social support, personality variables, personal efficacy, and pet attachment. Results suggest that having a pet may facilitate rehabilitation and that further research is needed to understand how having a pet or being a pet owner improves health outcomes.

Animals &amp; general human health

Pets and Human Health in Germany and Australia: National Longitudinal Results

Influences of Pets on the Empty Nester Family

The pet connection: pets as a conduit for social capital?

Pet Dogs Benefit Owners' Health: A ‘Natural Experiment' in China

Health benefits and potential budget savings due to pets:

Do Pet Owners Enjoy Better Health? Results from the German Soci-Economic Panel

Pet ownership: good for health?

Health Benefits and Health Cost Savings Due to Pets: Preliminary Estimates from an Australian National Survey

The People, Pets and Planning Symposium

Pet Ownership Predicts Adherence to Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Animals & general human health