163 Results Found

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with lower quality of life, reduced social participation, and decreased self-efficacy. The COVID-19 pandemic has had documented effects on the health and wellbeing of people with and without MS. Previ...

Pet ownership has historically been one of the biggest risk factors for evacuation failure prior to natural disasters. The forced abandonment of pets during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 made national headlines and led to the passage of the Pet Evacuatio...

Pet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction, and anecdotally, pet ownership can lead to improved physical and mental health for owners. However, scant research is available validating these claims. This study aimed to revi...

Limited literature explores the relationship between economic impacts and pet ownership. Do people have more pets as a result of economic crises? In the current study, we answer this question by looking at the time series of pet ownership and childre...

Obesity is a major risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Several studies have investigated the association between pet ownership and obesity, but the findings have been incons...

Many community-dwelling older adults are searching for ways to remain mentally and physically healthy as they age. One frequently offered suggestion is for older people to adopt a pet to avoid loneliness, to stay socially engaged, and to stave off de...

Pet ownership is common in modern society. In Portugal, 38% and 31% of all households own at least one dog or cat, respectively. Few studies have ascertained the knowledge of pet owners on pet ownership and zoonoses, and none have been carried out in...

Thus far, few cross-sectional studies have investigated the association between pet ownership and psychosocial factors. As longitudinal studies on this topic are mostly lacking, this study aimed to analyze the association between pet ownership and ps...

Aging research indicates that there is increased sedentary behaviour and insufficient physical activity levels across the older adult population. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that pet ownership can have beneficial physical and me...

With many children and young adolescents reporting strong emotional bonds with their pets, the impact of pet ownership on child/adolescent health—especially on their emotional development—has garnered increasing scientific interest. We ex...

We investigated the evolving landscape of reptile pet ownership in Hong Kong. Employing a quantitative approach, a self-administered survey was distributed and over 200 reptile pet owners residing in Hong Kong responded. The survey instrument capture...

Human–animal interactions may positively impact the health and well-being of older adults. Considering about one third of community-dwelling older adults report owning a pet, better understanding the benefits, challenges, and the role of pet ownershi...

As global awareness of animal welfare continues to rise, it has become essential to understand the factors that shape individual attitudes and consumption behaviors related to animal welfare. This study empirically investigates how pet ownership infl...

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a frequent and distressing concern among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, often exerting a profound impact on psychological well-being, daily functioning, and treatment adherence. While several clinical and sociod...

Aging increases the risk of social isolation, which could lead to conditions such as depressive mood. Pet ownership is known to reduce social isolation. However, previous studies have mainly focused on mammals as pets, which could be difficult at old...

Frailty is defined as a state of increased vulnerability due to age-related decline in reserve and function across multiple physiological systems. Increasing physical activity level is considered to be a measure to counteract frailty. Some studies ha...

The adoption of exotic animals as pets is increasing across Europe. This study explores the human–chelonian relationship in the Italian population, specifically the motivations for acquiring reptiles as pets and the nature of the emotional bond...

Human–animal relationships have long been idealized as universally positive, but recent studies highlight the complexities and contradictions inherent in this bond. This study re-analyzes previously published data to examine the nuanced effects...

Pet ownership literature remains mixed regarding associations with mental and physical health outcomes among older adults. The present study investigates the relationship between pet ownership and depression, health, and physical activity in an older...

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the association between pet ownership and threatened abortion (TA) in pregnant Chinese women. Materials and Methods: We enrolled pregnant women from 18 provinces and autonomous regions across China betw...

Introduction: While pet ownership (PO) is generally associated with better psychological health, research does not consistently demonstrate this relationship among community living older adults. Pet attachment has been suggested as a mechanism for th...

In developed nations, approximately half of household environments contain pets. Studies of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) have proposed that there are health benefits and risks associated with pet ownership. However, accurately demonstrating and und...

This study used an online survey distributed between January and March 2019 to adults residing in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) to investigate cat and dog owner practices. Of the 2385 respondents, 885 (37%) owned both cat/s and dog/s, while 652 (28%) and...

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the association between pet ownership and quality of life (QoL), loneliness, anxiety, stress, overall health, and mental health of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic using a One Health per...

The psychological health effects of pet ownership have been widely studied, but only a few studies investigated its impact among socially isolated older adults. The present study aims to investigate the psychological health of older adults with or wi...

Research suggests that older adults might obtain health benefits from pet ownership; however, results are mixed. Pet attachment is suggested as both a mechanism for the relationship and a reason for differences in the association of pet ownership wit...

Dogs and cats have become the most important and successful pets through long-term domestication. People keep them for various reasons, such as their functional roles or for physical or psychological support. However, why humans are so attached to do...

Individuals working in high-risk occupations (e.g., emergency staff) are exposed to high levels of occupational stress including traumatic events. Correspondingly, several studies report high rates of mental health problems among these occupations. P...

Childhood and adolescence are important developmental phases which influence health and well-being across the life span. Social relationships are fundamental to child and adolescent development; yet studies have been limited to children’s relationshi...

The pandemic associated with the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an unprecedented historical event with the potential to significantly impact adolescent loneliness. This study aimed to explore the role of companion animals and attach...

Over one million international students from 207 countries study in the United States to pursue their academic goals. Transitioning to an unfamiliar country presents numerous challenges, and existing support structures often fail to fully support int...

This paper presents the demographics, dynamics, and attitudes of dog ownership across three states in India. The background of this research is set against the increasing significance of pet ownership in urban Indian contexts, with a particular focus...

Approximately one in 10 people experiencing homelessness have pets. Despite the psychosocial benefits derived from pet ownership, systemic and structural barriers can prevent this group from meeting their basic needs and exiting homelessness. A multi...

Most research studies have investigated the impact of pet ownership on the mental and physical well-being of elderly populations, supporting the beneficial effect that pets have on their owners. However, few researchers focused on the well-being of b...

Although many companion animal (or “pet”) owners report that their relationships with their pets are important, we know little about how animal ownership duration and animal life stage are related to relationship quality. In a sample of 1...

Contact with companion animals has been suggested to have important roles in enhancing child development. However, studies focused on child development and pet ownership at a very early age are limited. The purpose of the current study was to investi...

Free-roaming cats and dogs impact biodiversity, public health, and the welfare of other animals. Attitudes towards free-roaming animals can influence their population dynamics and management success. We conducted an online survey to evaluate social p...

Background: The growth of the older adult population calls for innovative and cost-effective ways of promoting their physical, psychological, and cognitive health. Human–animal interaction, including pet ownership, is related to positive and ne...

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a rapidly growing threat to public health. The incidence of TBDs is on the rise, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors beyond demographic considerations. This brief report combines a prelimina...

Pet ownership can provide important companionship and facilitate social connections, which may be particularly important to socially isolated older adults. Given the significant deleterious impact of loneliness on health and wellbeing in later life,...

Many humans have created close relationships with wildlife and companion species. Notwithstanding that companion species were at some point themselves wild, some wild (i.e., feral) and domesticated (owned) dogs and cats now have significant impacts o...

Understanding the factors that result in people becoming dog owners is key to developing messaging around responsible acquisition and providing appropriate support for prospective owners to ensure a strong dog–owner bond and optimise dog welfare. Thi...

Dog training may strengthen the dog–owner bond, a consistent predictor of dog walking behavior. The Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) study piloted dog training as a stealth physical activity (PA) intervention. In this study, 41 dog owners...

Anthropogenic pressures in the Amazon Basin are reshaping human–animal–environment interactions and increasing zoonotic disease risk. Within this One Health context, domestic dogs and cats are underrecognized contributors to pathogen circ...

For families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to explore how both youth and parents view their roles with regard to the shared caretaking of pets. While most human–animal interaction studies examine adult or early child...

The U.S. pet population is increasing, but access to veterinary care continues to be a concern. One method of alleviating barriers that prevent access to care is the presence of pet health insurance for a pet. Dog owners were surveyed to see the impa...

Although there is evidence that pets may help individuals facing significant daily stressors, and that they may enhance the well-being of their owners, little is known about the benefits of pets for job performance. Since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis...

As brachycephalic dog breed ownership increases, there is a growing concern for the welfare of these breeds due to extreme brachycephalism. Understanding the motivations and behaviours of those choosing to own these breeds is important if we wish to...

The sudden lockdown and social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic substantially affected the physical and psychological aspects of our lives. This study used a sequential explanatory research design to explore how human–animal interactio...

Approximately 60% of the U.S. population own at least one pet, and many pet owners turn to the internet, including veterinary clinic websites, for pet health information. The pictures on these websites, and how accurately they reflect the racial dive...