Animals & general human health

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

anthrozoology — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:41:32 +1000

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 16:01:20 +1000

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 15:59:12 +1000

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.

The effect of visiting zoos on human health and quality of life.

anthrozoology — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:08:13 +1100

Sakagami, Taketo. Ohta, Mitsuaki taketosakagami@hotmail.com

Aspects of health, physical/leisure activities, work and socio-demographics associated with pet ownership in Sweden.

anthrozoology — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:50:32 +1100

Mullersdorf, Maria. Granstrom, Fredrik. Sahlqvist, Lotta. Tillgren, Per.

Social work practitioners and the human-companion animal bond: a national study.

anthrozoology — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:15:30 +1100

Risley-Curtiss, Christina.

The Effects of Animals on Human Health and Well-Being

anthrozoology — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:38:00 +1100

Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 65, No. 3, 2009, pp. 523--543

Pet owners' attitudes and behaviours related to smoking and second-hand smoke: a pilot study.

anthrozoology — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:00:30 +1000

Milberger, S M. Davis, R M. Holm, A L.

Associations between pet ownership and self-reported health status in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

anthrozoology — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:58:10 +1000

Wells DL.

To have or not to have a pet for better health?

anthrozoology — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:32:07 +1000

Koivusilta LK. Ojanlatva A.

Animals &amp; general human health