Association between pet ownership and physical activity and mental health during the COVID-19 "circuit breaker" in Singapore

Examining evidence for a relationship between human-animal interactions and common mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review

Introduction

COVID-19 lockdowns, shelter in place, closures of transportation and mental health services, and dearth of mental health providers created new barriers to obtaining support for mental health needs at a time of increased rates of anxiety and depression. During the pandemic, a record number of households owned and adopted pets, opening a potential avenue to investigate the relationship between pets and mental health. This systematic literature review examined the question: What is the evidence for a relationship between human-animal interaction and/or animal ownership and common mental disorders among adults who interacted with pets compared to adults who did not during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Methods

To address this question, four databases were searched: Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and SCOPUS for peer-reviewed literature published between 2020 and July 2023. Of the 1,746 articles identified by the searches, 21 studies were included in this review.

Results

Results suggest that there exists a relationship between animal ownership and strong pet attachment and pet interaction, though the directionality of the relationship was not investigated by the included studies. There was an association between having a stronger relationship with a pet and lower feelings of depression and other mental health symptoms. There was also evidence of an association between anxiety and higher levels of animal attachment.

Conclusion

Understanding the association between human-animal interaction and common mental disorders may be helpful to clinicians assessing the mental health of clients. Clinicians may glean additional insight about stressors, risk factors, social supports, and lifestyle of clients based on the client's status as a pet owner. Future research could further explore the direction of the causal relationship of human-animal interaction and/or animal ownership on common mental disorders; this could further inform how the HAI relationship can be used to support clients with mental health struggles.

The Perks of Pet Ownership? The Effects of Pet Ownership on Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pet ownership has often been lauded as a protective factor for well-being, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We expanded this question to consider how pet (i.e., species, number) and owner (i.e., pet relationship quality, personality, attachment orientations) characteristics affected the association between pet ownership and well-being in a pre-registered mixed method analysis of 767 people assessed three times in May 2020. In our qualitative analyses, pet owners listed both benefits and costs of pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic. In our quantitative analyses, we found that pet ownership was not reliably associated with well-being. Furthermore, this association largely did not depend on the number of pets owned, the species of pet(s) owned, the quality of the human-pet relationship, or the owner's psychological characteristics. Our findings are consistent with a large body of research showing null associations of pet ownership on well-being (quantitatively) but positive reports of pet ownership (qualitatively).

Pet ownership and mental health in United States adults during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with declines in mental health and increased interest in pet ownership. We aimed to extend past theories and research linking pet ownership and mental health by investigating whether pet ownership was associated with mental health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of American adults. We also tested whether the association of pet ownership and mental health was moderated by relationship status. Participants were 2,906 American adults who were recruited for an online survey study between May 2020 and May 2021. Pet ownership was assessed via dichotomous self-report (yes/no) and mental health was assessed using a 13-item questionnaire. The sample was 69.2% female with an average age of 46.0 years. 36.1% of the sample owned a pet and 68.5% of the sample was currently partnered. There was no overall association of pet ownership and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic (estimated mean difference (EMD) = 0.35, 95CI = -0.10, 0.80, p = 0.12). However, we found evidence for an association that was moderated by relationship status. Pet ownership was associated with better mental health among partnered individuals (EMD = 0.76, 95CI = 0.21, 1.30, p = 0.006). There was no association of pet ownership and mental health among unpartnered individuals (EMD = -0.41, 95CI = -1.20, 0.37, p = 0.30). Our findings suggest that relationship status may represent a critical moderator of the link between pet ownership and mental health. Future studies are needed to identify specific mechanisms of pet ownership that could explain its varied impact on the mental health of partnered and unpartnered individuals.

The Well-Being of Companion Animal Caregivers and Their Companion Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

It is important to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal caregivers and their companion animals in order to inform responses to future crises. Prior research is inconsistent, with the benefits of animal companionship believed to be overstated. In this scoping review, we searched four electronic databases and hand-searched reference lists of included studies. Over 4000 citations were found, and 122 were included in the review. Reflecting on the pre-COVID literature, quantitative evidence of the association between psychological well-being and animal companionship during the pandemic was mixed, with numerous positive, negative, and null findings reported. Studies highlighted the benefits of animal companionship during the pandemic, with animals reported to provide their caregivers with a routine, a sense of greater purpose, a positive distraction from COVID-19, companionship, and emotional support. However, participants also reported concerns about meeting animals' needs, fears of animals catching or spreading the virus, and financial worries. Concerns about what would happen to animals if caregivers were hospitalized led some to delay COVID-19 testing or treatment. Animals also experienced benefits (such as increased companionship and calmer mood) and negative impacts (such as increased clinginess and separation anxiety). Companion animals should be a key consideration in emergency preparedness plans.

Gut Probiotics and Health of Dogs and Cats: Benefits, Applications, and Underlying Mechanisms

Pets (mostly domestic dogs and cats) play an important role in the daily lives of humans and their health has attracted growing attention from pet owners. The intestinal microbiota, a complex microbial community with barrier-protective, nutritional, metabolic, and immunological functions, is integral to host health. Dysbiosis has been related to a variety of diseases in humans and animals. Probiotics have been used in functional foods and dietary supplements to modulate intestinal microbiota and promote host health, which has been introduced in pet dogs and cats in recent years. Various canine- and feline-derived probiotic strains have been isolated and characterized. The administration of probiotics has shown positive effects on the gut health and can alleviate some intestinal diseases and disorders in dogs and cats, although the underlying mechanisms are largely unresolved. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the benefits of probiotics and discuss their possible mechanisms in dogs and cats in order to provide new insights for the further development and application of probiotics in pets.

Is UK Puppy Purchasing Suffering a Long COVID Effect? Ongoing Negative Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic upon Puppy Purchase Motivations and Behaviours in 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in acquisitions of puppies in the UK, dubbed the "Pandemic Puppy" phenomenon. In addition to an increased demand for puppies, widespread changes to both why and how puppies were purchased during this period compared to pre-pandemic 2019 purchases were documented, many of which threatened canine welfare (e.g., puppies being collected away from their place of birth, without seeing their mother). This study aimed to explore which changes to the pre-purchase and purchase motivations and behaviours of UK owners who purchased a puppy aged <16 weeks in the 2020 phase of the COVID-19 pandemic had persisted into 2021 or had returned to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. An online survey was conducted during February to April 2022 from which 2080 valid responses were analysed ("2021 puppies") and compared with previously collected data from comparable cohorts in 2019 (n = 1148, "2019 puppies") and 2020 (n = 4369, "Pandemic Puppies"). While the majority of the peak pandemic changes documented in 2020 had returned to their 2019 pre-pandemic baseline, others persisted into 2021. Multinomial logistic regression models revealed that the shifts during 2020 towards owners viewing their puppy pre-purchase over video calls or via video recordings/photos rather than in-person and towards collecting their puppy from outside of their breeders' property rather than inside had persisted into 2021 and had not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Year-on-year significant rises in the number of puppies sold with a passport were documented between 2019 and 2021, with over 1 in 10 2021 puppies having been sold with a passport, the figure more than doubling since 2019. An increasing number of these puppies sold with a passport were under the minimum legal age for import at sale. Going forward, these concerning changes require further monitoring and human behaviour change interventions to tackle, including increased buyer awareness but also legislative approaches to prevent the greatest harm.

Pet ownership and lifestyle behaviours of immunosuppressed individuals and their relatives in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures will likely have a detrimental impact on immunosuppressed individuals' lifestyle behaviours. Increasing evidence suggests that pet ownership is positively associated with healthier lifestyle. Yet, no study has investigated the potential benefits of pet ownership on lifestyle behaviours of immunosuppressed individuals, a population at increased risk of COVID-19 complications. This study aims to examine 1) changes in light, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity (LPA, MPA, VPA), sedentary time (SED), and sleep duration, assessed by comparing "before COVID-19 pandemic" and "past 7 days" (i.e., current, during pandemic) self-reported behaviours in immunosuppressed individuals and their relatives; 2) to assess if changes in lifestyle behaviours are associated with pet ownership status and whether age is a moderator of these associations. A convenience sample of 132 participants (65.2% female, 41.3% ≥55 years of age) provided self-reported LPA, MPA, VPA (days/week), SED and sleep (min/day) and pet ownership status using an online questionnaire (May-August 2020). Descriptive analyses, paired T-tests, Cohen's d effect size and linear regressions were conducted. Results show that participants reported a decrease in VPA (-0.56 days/week, d = 0.34; p < 0.01) and an increase in SED (106.79 min/day, d = -0.81; p < 0.01). Stratified analysis revealed that having at least one dog, compared to not owning pets, is associated with a reduced decline in LPA, MPA and VPA and an increase in sleep in participants aged < 55 years old only. Having a dog appears to be positively associated with healthy lifestyle behaviours in younger and middle age immunosuppressed individuals.

Recognizing Zooeyia to Promote Companion Animal Welfare in Urban Bangladesh

The One Health concept of zooeyia refers to the benefits of companion animals in human health and is gaining global research attention. This exploratory study aimed to understand contemporary experiences and perceptions of the social benefits and challenges of living with a companion animal in urban Bangladesh. Thirty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with companion animal owners (20), animal sellers (10), and livestock service department officers (5) from two major cities in Bangladesh, Dhaka and Khulna. Thematic analysis found that historically, animals had a utilitarian purpose, such as livestock for food and dogs for security. The role and perceptions of companion animals began to change for some around the turn of the century. Today, companion animal caretakers report social, psychological and physical health benefits from integrating companion animals into their lives. They also report that companion animal ownership can contribute to social problems due to the prevailing stigma against companion animals. This is rooted in the continued utilitarian role attached to companion animals by the majority of the Bangladesh population as well as religious-based non-acceptance. As a result, the Animal Welfare Act (2019) is not well implemented, posing a key concern for companion animal welfare. To tackle this, we propose various ways in which the emerging concept of zooeyia can help promote the welfare of companion animals by challenging the stigma associated with them in Bangladesh.

Understanding Protective Factors for Men at Risk of Suicide Using the CHIME Framework: The Primacy of Relational Connectedness

Suicide is a global problem, ranking among the leading causes of death in many countries across the world. Most people who die by suicide are "under the radar", having never seen a mental health professional or been diagnosed with a mental illness. This article describes the protective factors for men experiencing suicidal thoughts, plans, and/or attempts who are "under the radar". Using in-depth qualitative interviews, we aimed to understand stakeholder perspectives on the protective factors that influence men's wellbeing. The pervasiveness of relational connectedness in men's narratives was identified as a central protective factor. Other key protective factors included meaningful activity, empowerment, and hope. These results have the potential to facilitate the development of focused community initiatives. More generally, the current research offers an example of a qualitative inquiry into men's wellbeing that focuses on strengths and positive factors in their lives and may provide a guide for future community-based suicide prevention research.

The influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Background

The modern lifestyle trend of pet ownership is undoubtedly beneficial for both physical and mental health. Research has shown a connection between pet ownership and staff self-compassion. However, there has not been any evidence linking pet ownership to self-compassion in the nurse population.

Aims

To investigate the current status of pet ownership among nurses and explore the influence of pet ownership on self-compassion among nurses.

Methods

An online survey was conducted in July 2022 with 1,308 nurses in China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire and a self-compassion scale. To compare categorical variables, the independent t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized. SPSS software was used for the statistical analysis.

Results

We found that 16.9% of nurses owned at least one pet, and dogs and cats were the primary pets. The t test for independent samples showed that pet owners and non-pet owners scored differently on self-compassion (t = 3.286, p = 0.001), self-kindness (t = 3.378, p = 0.001), common humanity (t = 2.419, p = 0.016), and mindfulness (t = 2.246, p = 0.025). One-way ANOVA revealed that the highest degree was an influencing factor of self-compassion (χ ² = 1.386, p = 0.019). Multiple linear regression showed that average monthly income, pet ownership, and highest degree were the factors that influenced self-compassion most significantly (F = 8.335, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The results revealed that nurses actually own pets as part of their modern lifestyle, which provides them with social support and potentially enhances their self-compassion. More efforts should be focused on the impact of pet ownership on nurses' physical and mental health, and pet-based interventions should also be developed.

"In times of stress, it is good to be with them": experience of dog owners from a rural district of Sri Lanka

BACKGROUND

The dog has been man's best companion since ancient times. And, dog ownership is associated with improved physical activity and cardiovascular health. We aim to explore the experience of dog owners on dog ownership and its effects on personal and family health in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Such studies are scarce in developing countries and rural regions.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews with dog owners in the Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed and thematic analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The study findings were reported under the themes of experience of dog owners, pet dogs for children, village dogs as pets, the role of pet dogs in personal and family health, and participants' advice on dog ownership. Participants highlighted companionship as a positive aspect of pet dogs. However, expenses and reduced travel were the concerns of dog ownership. A child's preference was important in owning a pet dog. Also, participants were willing to adopt the village dogs. Further, they perceived stress reduction and mental satisfaction when interacting with their pet dogs. Moreover, participants seldom experienced major health risks from their pet dogs.

CONCLUSIONS

Human-dog interaction seems to improve the participants' mental well-being, and future research should focus on its possible consequences. Further, the village dogs were adopted as pets. Guided promotion of such activities could ease concerns related to village dogs in developing and rural regions.

Factors associated with meeting physical activity guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individual physical activity levels. Less is known regarding how factors such as sociodemographic and built environment were associated with physical activity engagement during the pandemic. Understanding these factors is critical to informing future infectious disease mitigation policies that promote, rather than hinder physical activity. The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of physical activity levels during the beginning of the pandemic (April-June 2020), including Stay-at-Home length and orders, neighborhood safety, and sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

Data included 517 participants who responded to an anonymous online survey. Physical activity was assessed with a modified Godin Leisure-time exercise questionnaire. We used logistic regression models to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between independent variables (e.g., demographic variables, neighborhood safety, COVID Stay-at-Home order and length of time) and physical activity levels that did not meet (i.e., < 600 metabolic equivalents of task [MET]-minutes/week) or met guidelines (i.e., ≥ 600 MET-minutes/week). We used R-Studio open-source edition to clean and code data and SAS V9.4 for analyses.

RESULTS

Most participants were 18-45 years old (58%), female (79%), Hispanic (58%), and college/post-graduates (76%). Most (70%) reported meeting physical activity guidelines. In multivariate-adjusted analyses stratified by income, in the highest income bracket (≥ $70,000) pet ownership was associated with higher odds of meeting physical activity guidelines (aOR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.23, 4.55), but this association did not persist for other income groups. We also found lower  perceived neighborhood safety was associated with significantly lower odds of meeting physical activity guidelines (aOR = 0.15, 95% CI:0.04-0.61), but only among individuals in the lowest income bracket (< $40,000). Within this lowest income bracket, we also found that a lower level of education was associated with reduced odds of meeting physical activity guidelines.

DISCUSSION

We found that perceived neighborhood safety, education and pet ownership were associated with meeting physical activity guidelines during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but associations differed by income. These findings can inform targeted approaches to promoting physical activity during subsequent waves of COVID-19 or future pandemics.

The Significance of Pets for Vulnerable Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study

Older adults receiving long-term care at home (LTCH-clients) were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its countermeasures. Previous research suggests that pets can mitigate some of the pandemic's impacts for older adults but results are contradictory. Our aim was to investigate experiences of LTCH-clients and the significance of their pets during the pandemic. Accounting for saturation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five LTCH-clients and four family caregivers of LTCH-clients with dementia. Participants were asked about their experiences with COVID-19 and the significance of LTCH-clients' pets during the pandemic. Two researchers performed thematic analyses in ATLAS.ti using open coding and an iterative-inductive approach. All participants reported negative experiences as a result of COVID-19 countermeasures. Results suggested that caring for pets provided pet owners with structure, which may have contributed to a sense of stability and continuity. Our outcomes underlined an important role of pets for LTCH-clients both before and during the pandemic.