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Looi MK. Sixty seconds on . . . dogs and dementia. BMJ 2023; 383:2852. [PMID: 38084452 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.p2852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
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Taniguchi Y, Seino S, Ikeuchi T, Hata T, Shinkai S, Kitamura A, Fujiwara Y. Protective effects of dog ownership against the onset of disabling dementia in older community-dwelling Japanese: A longitudinal study. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102465. [PMID: 37860160 PMCID: PMC10583170 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This prospective study examined the associations of dog/cat ownership with incident disabling dementia using propensity score matching based on the physical, social, and psychological characteristics of dog and cat owners. We also examined associations of the interaction between dog/cat ownership and exercise habit and social isolation with dementia. Overall, 11,194 older adults selected using stratified and random sampling strategies in 2016 were analyzed. Dog/cat ownership was defined as "current" or "past and never". Disabling dementia was defined according to physicians' rating in the long-term care insurance system in Japan during the approximately 4-year follow-up period. Statistical analysis was weighted by the inverse of the propensity score in the generalized estimating equation after adjusting for follow-up period. Current dog owners (8.6 %) had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 (95 %CI: 0.37-0.977) of having disabling dementia compared to past and never owners. For cat ownership, the corresponding OR was 0.98 (95 %CI: 0.62-1.55). Current dog owners with a regular exercise habit had an OR of 0.37 (0.20-0.68) compared to past and never dog owners with no exercise habit. Further, current dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.41 (0.23-0.73) compared to past and never dog owners with social isolation. Dog ownership had a suppressive effect on incident disabling dementia after adjusting for background factors over a 4-year follow-up period. Specifically, dog owners with an exercise habit and no social isolation had a significantly lower risk of disabling dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Taniguchi
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan. ADRESS:16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Satoshi Seino
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ikeuchi
- Human Care Research Team, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Toshiki Hata
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Shoji Shinkai
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, Japan. ADRESS: 3-9-21 Chiyoda, Sakado City, Saitama 350-0288, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kitamura
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Fujiwara
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan. ADRESS: 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
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Taeckens A, Corcoran M, Wang K, Morris KN. Examining human-animal interactions and their effect on multidimensional frailty in later life: a scoping review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1214127. [PMID: 37415700 PMCID: PMC10321594 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1214127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This scoping review sought to compile outcomes associated with any human-animal interaction study regarding adults aged 50 and older in any living context and concerning a multidimensional (i.e., physical, psychological, cognitive, and social) perspective of frailty. Despite our best attempts at incorporating the broadest inclusion criteria possible, only four articles were relevant to this review. Participants across the included studies were rural, community-dwelling Japanese or Chinese individuals aged 60 years and older. Thematic analysis of reported results includes dog ownership as a protective factor regarding frailty, the interconnected health effects of pet ownership, and increased meaning and purpose through pet ownership implications. More research is needed globally to determine how human-animal interactions may moderate frailty comprehensively, as well as the efficacy and appropriateness of these interactions or interventions in older adult populations and across cultural boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Taeckens
- Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Mary Corcoran
- Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Kaipeng Wang
- Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Kevin N. Morris
- Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
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McCoy BM, Brassington L, Jin K, Dolby GA, Shrager S, Collins D, Dunbar M, Ruple A, Snyder-Mackler N. Social determinants of health and disease in companion dogs: a cohort study from the Dog Aging Project. Evol Med Public Health 2023; 11:187-201. [PMID: 37388194 PMCID: PMC10306367 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to social environmental adversity is associated with health and survival across many social species, including humans. However, little is known about how these health and mortality effects vary across the lifespan and may be differentially impacted by various components of the environment. Here, we leveraged a relatively new and powerful model for human aging, the companion dog, to investigate which components of the social environment are associated with dog health and how these associations vary across the lifespan. We drew on comprehensive survey data collected on 21,410 dogs from the Dog Aging Project and identified five factors that together explained 33.7% of the variation in a dog's social environment. Factors capturing financial and household adversity were associated with poorer health and lower physical mobility in companion dogs, while factors that captured social support, such as living with other dogs, were associated with better health when controlling for dog age and weight. Notably, the effects of each environmental component were not equal: the effect of social support was 5× stronger than financial factors. The strength of these associations depended on the age of the dog, including a stronger relationship between the owner's age and the dog's health in younger as compared to older dogs. Taken together, these findings suggest the importance of income, stability and owner's age on owner-reported health outcomes in companion dogs and point to potential behavioral and/or environmental modifiers that can be used to promote healthy aging across species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kelly Jin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Greer A Dolby
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, ALUSA
| | - Sandi Shrager
- Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Devin Collins
- Department of Sociology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Matthew Dunbar
- Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dog Aging Project Consortium
AkeyJoshua MLewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USABentonBrookeDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USABorensteinElhananDepartment of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelCastelhanoMarta GCornell Veterinary Biobank, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USAColemanAmanda EDepartment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USACreevyKate EDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USACrowderKyleDepartment of Sociology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADunbarMatthew DCenter for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAFajtVirginia RDepartment of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAFitzpatrickAnnette LDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAJefferyUnityDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAJonlinErica CDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAKaeberleinMattDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAKarlssonElinor KBioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USAKerrKathleen FDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USALevineJonathan MDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAMaJingDivision of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USAMcClellandRobyn LDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAPromislowDaniel E LDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USARupleAudreyDepartment of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USASchwartzStephen MEpidemiology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USAShragerSandiCollaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USASnyder-MacklerNoahSchool of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USATolbertKatherineDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAUrferSilvan RDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAWilfondBenjamin STreuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Audrey Ruple
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Corresponding author. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. E-mail:
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Zhou J, Li X, Gao X, Wei Y, Ye L, Liu S, Ye J, Qiu Y, Zheng X, Chen C, Wang J, Kraus VB, Lv Y, Mao C, Shi X. Leisure Activities, Genetic Risk, and Frailty: Evidence from the Chinese Adults Aged 80 Years or Older. Gerontology 2023; 69:961-971. [PMID: 37075711 PMCID: PMC10791136 DOI: 10.1159/000530665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION About half of adults aged ≥80 years suffer from frailty. Exercise is considered effective in preventing frailty but may be inapplicable to adults aged ≥80 years due to physical limitations. As an alternative, we aimed to explore the association of leisure activities with frailty and identify potential interaction with established polygenic risk score (PRS) among adults aged ≥80 years. METHODS Analyses were performed in a prospective cohort study of 7,471 community-living older adults aged ≥80 years who were recruited between 2002 and 2014 from 23 provinces in China. Leisure activity was assessed using a seven-question leisure activity index and frailty was defined as a frailty index ≥0.25 using a validated 39-item health-related scale. The PRS was constructed using 59 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with frailty in a subsample of 2,541 older adults. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the associations of leisure activities, PRS with frailty. RESULTS The mean age of participants was 89.4 ± 6.6 years (range: 80-116). In total, 2,930 cases of frailty were identified during 42,216 person-years of follow-up. Each 1 unit increase in the leisure activity index was associated with 12% lower risk of frailty (hazard ratio: 0.88 [95% confidence interval, 0.85-0.91]). Participants with high genetic risk (PRS >2.47 × 10-4) suffered from 26% higher risk of frailty. Interaction between leisure activity and genetic risk was not observed. CONCLUSION Evidence is presented for the independent association of leisure activities and genetic risk with frailty. Engagement in leisure activities is suggested to be associated with lower risk of frailty across all levels of genetic risk among adults aged ≥80 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhui Zhou
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Wei
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lihong Ye
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Sixin Liu
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaming Ye
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yidan Qiu
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Department of Big Data in Health Science, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xulin Zheng
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chen Chen
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Virginia Byers Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yuebin Lv
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Mao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoming Shi
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Taniguchi Y, Yokoyama Y, Ikeuchi T, Mitsutake S, Murayama H, Abe T, Seino S, Amano H, Nishi M, Hagiwara Y, Shinkai S, Kitamura A, Fujiwara Y. Pet ownership-related differences in medical and long-term care costs among community-dwelling older Japanese. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277049. [PMID: 36706080 PMCID: PMC9882963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the differences in medical and long-term care costs over 18 months between pet owners and non-owners among community-dwelling older Japanese. Pet ownership data were collected from 460 community-dwelling adults age 65 years and older. These data were matched with data from the National Health Insurance, health insurance for older people, and Long-Term Care Insurance beneficiaries for 17 months back from the survey on pet ownership. Pet-ownership group-specific trajectories in monthly medical and long-term care costs were modeled by a generalized estimating equation. Among pet owners (n = 96, 20.9%) and non-pet owners (n = 364, 79.1%) there were no significant differences in baseline demographic or health characteristics including chronic disease and self-reported long-term care level. At baseline, pet owners had estimated monthly medical costs of ¥48,054 (SE = 0.11; $418), compared to ¥42,260 (SE = 0.06; $367) for non-pet owners. The monthly medical costs did not differ significantly between the two groups during the 18-month follow-up period. At baseline, estimated monthly long-term care costs of pet owners and non-pet owners were ¥676 (SE = 0.75; $6) and ¥1,420 (SE = 0.52; $12), respectively. During the follow-up period, the non-pet owner to owner ratio of monthly long-term care costs was 1.2 at minimum and 2.3 at maximum. This study showed that monthly long-term care costs for pet owners were approximately half those of non-pet owners. Pet owners might use long-term care services less frequently, or use lighter care services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Taniguchi
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yuri Yokoyama
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ikeuchi
- Research Team for Human Care, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seigo Mitsutake
- Research Team for Human Care, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Murayama
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Abe
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Seino
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidenori Amano
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Nishi
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Hagiwara
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoji Shinkai
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kitamura
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Fujiwara
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
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Friedmann E, Gee NR, Simonsick EM, Barr E, Resnick B, Werthman E, Adesanya I. Pet Ownership and Maintenance of Physical Function in Older Adults-Evidence From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Innov Aging 2023; 7:igac080. [PMID: 36915903 PMCID: PMC10006577 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igac080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Pet ownership or human-animal interaction has been associated with better health outcomes in individuals with disease or disability. We hypothesized that pet ownership, as well as dog ownership and cat ownership separately, are associated with maintaining physical function, and leisure time physical activity and that among dog owners, dog walking is associated with maintaining these outcomes for generally healthy community-dwelling older adults participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Research Design and Methods A total of 637 men (44.1%) and women aged 50-100 years (M = 68.3, standard deviation [SD] = 9.6) completed a comprehensive pet ownership questionnaire that ascertained pet ownership history 10-13 years and had serial assessments of physical function every 1-4 years prior. Linear or generalized linear mixed models with time varying pet ownership were used to examine change in physical function over a mean of 7.5 years (range 1-13, SD = 3.6) according to pet ownership. Results Pet owners (n = 185) were significantly younger (p < .001) and had fewer comorbidities (p = .03) than nonowners; thus, age and comorbidities were included as covariates in the longitudinal analyses. Physical function and leisure time physical activity declined with aging across all outcomes (p < .001); the decline was slower among pet owners in overall physical performance (p < .001), rapid gait speed (p = .03), usual gait speed (p = .032), cardiorespiratory fitness (p < .001), and physical well-being (p = .002) controlling for age and comorbidities. Changes in leisure time physical activities with aging did not differ between pet owners and nonowners. Dog walking was not independently related to the maintenance of physical function or leisure time physical activity with aging. Discussion and Implications This study provides the first longitudinal evidence that pet ownership is associated with maintained physical function among community-dwelling generally healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Friedmann
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nancy R Gee
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Eleanor M Simonsick
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Erik Barr
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Barbara Resnick
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emily Werthman
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ikmat Adesanya
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Jiang C, Cui Z, Fan P, Du G. Effects of dog ownership on the gut microbiota of elderly owners. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278105. [PMID: 36477426 PMCID: PMC9728917 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dog owners are usually in close contact with dogs. Whether dogs can affect the gut microbiota of elderly dog owners is worth studying. Data from 54 elderly (over 65 years of age) dog owners were screened from the American Gut Project. Owning a dog did not affect the α-diversity of the gut microbiota of the dog owner. Dog ownership significantly modulated the composition of the gut microbiota of the dog owner. The abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly increased. The abundances of Bifidobacteriaceae and Ruminococcaceae were significantly increased, while the abundance of Moracellaceae was significantly suppressed. In general, dog ownership can regulate the composition of gut microbiota and has a more significant effect on elderly males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaona Jiang
- Morphology laboratory, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, China
- Department of Breast-Throcic Tumor Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Zeying Cui
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Pingming Fan
- Department of Breast-Throcic Tumor Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- * E-mail: (PF); (GD)
| | - Guankui Du
- Department of Breast-Throcic Tumor Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Biotechnology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: (PF); (GD)
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9
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Pet ownership and survival of European older adults. Eur J Ageing 2022; 19:1549-1560. [PMID: 36692784 PMCID: PMC9638448 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-022-00739-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
With pet ownership on the rise, millions of individuals are exposed to this environmental exposure. Although the subject has been largely studied, more evidence is needed to clarify the potential association of pet ownership with human health. The aim of this research is to study the potential association of pet exposure (any pet, cat, dog, bird, fish) with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality of older ([Formula: see text] 50 years) European residents. To this end, a total of 23,274 participants from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were employed (median follow-up 119 months). All-cause mortality (5163 events), as well as cardiovascular (CVD) (1832 events), and cancer mortality (1346 events) were examined using Cox Proportional Hazards models for their relation with pet exposure at baseline. Stratified analyses were also performed by gender and for single or multi-person households. No significant association was observed for any of the pets with all-cause mortality on the whole sample and the fully adjusted models. In stratified analyses, bird exposure significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality in women [Hazard Ratio [Formula: see text]; 95% CI 1.04-1.44] as well as women living alone [Formula: see text]; 95% CI 1.02-1.85). Cause-specific models revealed an increased risk of death for women bird owners for causes other than cancer and CVD [Formula: see text]; 95% CI 1.05-1.99). In conclusion, bird ownership may be negatively associated with survival of older women in Europe.
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10
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Zhang S, Wang Q, Wang X, Qi K, Zhou Y, Zhou C. Pet ownership and cognitive frailty among Chinese rural older adults who experienced a social loss: Is there a sex difference? Soc Sci Med 2022; 305:115100. [PMID: 35690032 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The loss of a spouse (widowed or divorced) is one of the most common forms of social loss in older adults. However, evidence is limited regarding whether social loss is associated with cognitive frailty. Maintaining pets has become increasingly popular. Despite its health benefits, little is known about whether pet ownership can buffer cognitive frailty in older adults facing social loss. Here, we examined the role of pet ownership in the relationship between social loss and cognitive frailty among males and females older adults living in rural China. METHODS A total of 2638 rural older adults were analysed. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore risk or protective factors associated with cognitive frailty. Participants were categorised into four groups according to social loss and pet ownership assessment: (i) no social loss + own pet, (ii) no social loss + no pet, (iii) social loss + own pet, and (iv) social loss + no pet. Binary logistic regression was also performed to examine the interaction effects of social loss and pet ownership on cognitive frailty stratified by sex. RESULTS Regardless of pet ownership, spousal loss was associated with cognitive frailty for men and women. Female participants who experienced loss without a pet had a significantly higher risk of cognitive frailty. However, we did not observe a significant association between pet ownership and cognitive frailty among men who experienced loss. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the buffering effect of pet ownership on cognitive frailty in older women experiencing social loss. This implies that targeted support for older adults of different sexes who experienced social losses may be effective in preventing cognitive frailty in rural China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Zhang
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Xiyuan Wang
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Kaili Qi
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yanxin Zhou
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Chengchao Zhou
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China; NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
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11
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Taniguchi Y, Seino S, Headey B, Hata T, Ikeuchi T, Abe T, Shinkai S, Kitamura A. Evidence that dog ownership protects against the onset of disability in an older community-dwelling Japanese population. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263791. [PMID: 35196354 PMCID: PMC8865647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study examined the association between dog and cat ownership, the onset of disability and all-cause mortality in an older population. Dog and cat owners take more regular exercise and have closer social relationships than non-owners. We further assess the beneficial effects of these moderating variables on the onset of disability and mortality. Methods Dog and cat ownership data were collected from 11233 community-dwelling adults age 65 years and older. These data were matched with data about the onset of disability held by the Japanese long-term care insurance system. Local registry data were used to ascertain all-cause mortality. Results During the approximately 3.5 year follow-up period, 17.1% of the sample suffered onset of disability, and 5.2% died. Logistic regression analysis indicated that, compared with a reference group of those who had never owned a dog (odds ratio fixed at 1.0), older adults who were currently dog owners had a significantly lower odds ratio of onset of disability (OR = 0.54 95% CI: 0.37–0.79). Our results further show that regular exercise interacts with dog ownership to reduce the risk of disability. The association of dog and/or cat ownership with all-cause mortality was not statistically significant. Conclusions Dog ownership appears to protect against incident disability among older Japanese adults. Additional benefits are gained from ownership combined with regular exercise. Daily dog care may have an important role to play in health promotion and successful aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Taniguchi
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Satoshi Seino
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Bruce Headey
- Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Toshiki Hata
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ikeuchi
- Human Care Research Team, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Abe
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoji Shinkai
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kitamura
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
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12
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Pet ownership, loneliness, and social isolation: a systematic review. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2022; 57:1935-1957. [PMID: 35816194 PMCID: PMC9272860 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-022-02332-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Several publications explored a relationship between pet ownership and lower levels of loneliness and social isolation. However, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic review has yet synthesized the evidence on these associations. Thus, this systematic review aims to evaluate the findings regarding the relations between pet ownership, loneliness, and social isolation. METHODS PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were searched in January 2022. Observational studies relying on appropriate instruments to assess the exposure and the outcome variables were included. Two reviewers independently executed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. RESULTS n = 24 studies were included. Among adult samples, the studies examining the relationship between pet ownership and social isolation found that owning a pet was associated with lower levels of social isolation. Concerning loneliness, studies that were conducted after the outbreak of COVID-19 mostly showed that pet ownership can contribute to lower levels of loneliness, but did not reveal an overall significant association until then. In turn, the studies that examined child and adolescent samples suggest that pet ownership was related to reduced loneliness before COVID-19. Furthermore, most of the studies did not reveal any differences between dogs, cats, and other kinds of pets regarding their relationship to loneliness and social isolation. CONCLUSION All in all, only a part of the studies detected a significant association between pet ownership, loneliness and social isolation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to strengthen this relationship, so that future research is required to assess the longevity of this potential effect.
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13
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Xin X, Cheng L, Li S, Feng L, Xin Y, Wang S. Improvement to the subjective well-being of pet ownership may have positive psychological influence during COVID-19 epidemic. Anim Sci J 2021; 92:e13624. [PMID: 34459072 PMCID: PMC8646605 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 epidemic and government intervention measures may have adverse effects on people's mental health. To explore the influence of pets on the intervention of people's psychological problems during the COVID-19 epidemic, an online survey was carried out between April 9 and April 29, 2020. A total of 756 participants replied to this questionnaire. Mental health variables were assessed, and the comparison of behavior changes among pet owners and pets on positive mental well-being during COVID-19 epidemic. Comparative analysis was performed; compared with individuals without pets (n = 575), pet owners (n = 181) had a higher prevalence of insomnia (p = 0.006). Living in Wuhan city was a risk factor for people with psychological stress (p < 0.05). Dog owners exhibited lower than average scores of insomnia and uncertainty of infection than cat owners (p = 0.004). People with more than one pet exhibited lower than average scores of depression than having one pet (p = 0.040). For analysis of psychological effects of pets on people, the role of pets in subjective feeling and positive psychological changes of pet owner was significantly different. Pet owners relieve that psychological pressure through behavioral changes towards their pets in early stage. Pets provided positive subjective well-being and psychological effects for their owners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Xin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Cheng
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shufang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yinjuan Xin
- Academic Affairs Office, Center Primary School in Xichuan Town, Tianshui, China
| | - Shaoshuai Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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14
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Carr D, Friedmann E, Gee NR, Gilchrist C, Sachs-Ericsson N, Koodaly L. Dog Walking and the Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Loneliness in Older Adults. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1852. [PMID: 34206286 PMCID: PMC8300215 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
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 predicted that public safety measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic would greatly increase loneliness, particularly among vulnerable populations like older adults. We investigated whether dog walking buffers loneliness in the context of stressors imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal survey data were obtained from a Florida community-based sample of adults (n = 466) aged 60+ years old in September 2018 and October 2020. Using OLS regression models, we tested: a) the association between the social consequences of COVID-19 and changes in loneliness, and b) the buffering effect of dog walking on this relationship. The high social consequences of COVID-19 were related to increases in loneliness. Walking a dog daily buffered the relationship. These results suggest potential therapeutic effects of dog walking for the promotion of mental health in older adults, particularly in the context of stressful situations that accentuate risks for loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Carr
- Department of Sociology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Erika Friedmann
- School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (E.F.); (L.K.)
| | - Nancy R. Gee
- Center for Human-Animal Interaction, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA;
| | | | | | - Lincy Koodaly
- School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (E.F.); (L.K.)
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15
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Du G, Huang H, Zhu Q, Ying L. Effects of cat ownership on the gut microbiota of owners. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253133. [PMID: 34133453 PMCID: PMC8208556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pet ownership is an essential environmental exposure that might influence the health of the owner. This study’s primary objectives were to explore the effects of cat ownership on the gut microbial diversity and composition of owners. Raw data from the American Gut Project were obtained from the SRA database. A total of 214 Caucasian individuals (111 female) with cats and 214 individuals (111 female) without cats were used in the following analysis. OTU number showed significant alteration in the Cat group and Female_cat group, compared with that of the no cat (NC) group and Female_ NC group, respectively. Compared with the NC group, the microbial phylum Proteobacteria was significantly decreased in the Cat group. The microbial families Alcaligenaceae and Pasteurellaceae were significantly reduced, while Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae were significantly increased in the Cat group. Fifty metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the Cat group. Twenty-one and 13 metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the female_cat and male_cat groups, respectively. Moreover, the microbial phylum Cyanobacteria was significantly decreased, while the families Alcaligenaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae were significantly changed in the normal weight cat group. In addition, 41 and 7 metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the normal-weight cat and overweight cat groups, respectively. Therefore, this study demonstrated that cat ownership could influence owners’ gut microbiota composition and function, especially in the female group and normal-weight group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guankui Du
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- * E-mail: (GKD); (YL)
| | - Hairong Huang
- School of Public Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Qiwei Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Li Ying
- Haikou Customs, Haikou, China
- * E-mail: (GKD); (YL)
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16
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Association between Experience of Pet Ownership and Psychological Health among Socially Isolated and Non-Isolated Older Adults. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030595. [PMID: 33668283 PMCID: PMC7996149 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated social isolation, particularly of older adults who are at increased risk of severe illness, while practicing physical distancing and self-quarantine. This study conducted in a metropolitan area of Japan hopes to provide stronger cross-cultural evidence of the positive impact of pet ownership on the psychological health of socially isolated owners with its large sample of older adults comparing two types of pet ownership (i.e., dog or cat). In this study, experience of dog or cat ownership and the presence or absence of social isolation were categorized into four groups to compare psychological health of each group. After adjusting for demographic and potential confounders, we found that socially isolated older adults who never owned a dog were more likely to report lower psychological health in comparison to socially isolated current or past dog owners. Our findings have practical implications that pets, particularly dogs, can play a role in increasing opportunities for engaging in physical and social activities and providing emotional support and thereby reducing a sense of social isolation and loneliness and improving psychological health among older adults. Abstract 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 without the experience of pet (i.e., dog or cat) ownership who are socially isolated or not socially isolated. This study used cross-sectional data from 9856 community-dwelling older adults in a metropolitan area of Japan. Social and non-social isolation and type of pet ownership (i.e., dog or cat) were stratified to examine the psychological health. Logistic regression models indicated that, after adjusting for demographic and potential confounders, socially isolated older adults who never owned a dog were 1.22 times more likely to report lower psychological health in comparison to socially isolated current or past dog owners. No such difference was observed among cat owners. The results suggest that the experience of dog ownership may be effective to improve the psychological health among socially isolated older adult.
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Takase M, Ogino R, Yoshida K, Kusu H, Kenmochi T, Goto J. Qualitative Research on the Primary Effect of Fish Pet Ownership Using the Bottleium, a Bottle-Type Aquarium, on Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan: A Potential Preventive Measure Towards Social Isolation. Geriatrics (Basel) 2021; 6:geriatrics6010017. [PMID: 33578783 PMCID: PMC7985762 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics6010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
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 age. A small ornamental fish is relatively easy to culture and might be a suitable alternative. In this research, we aimed to elucidate the possible effects of fish ownership on the psychological state of community-dwelling older adults in Japan. A Bottleium, a bottle-type aquarium, was selected to lower the burden of fish ownership. A workshop was hosted in 2019 and participants brought home their own Bottleium, with fish and water snail inside. Nineteen participants gave consent to the follow-up interview a month later. Five themes, "observation of fish and water snail," "interaction between the fish and the owner," "taking care of the fish as pet owner," "facilitation of interpersonal interaction," and "development of support system," emerged from thematic analysis. The promotion of animal-to-human, and human-to-human interaction and development of responsibility could relate to a sense of social inclusion and ikigai-kan, a purpose of life. Fish ownership, when using equipment that suits the physical capability of older adults, could act as a positive stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Takase
- The Institute of Gerontology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (R.O.); (J.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-5841-1662
| | - Ryogo Ogino
- The Institute of Gerontology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (R.O.); (J.G.)
- Graduate School of Teacher Education, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan
| | | | - Hikari Kusu
- Gex Corporation, Osaka 578-0903, Japan; (K.Y.); (H.K.); (T.K.)
| | | | - Jun Goto
- The Institute of Gerontology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (R.O.); (J.G.)
- School of Engineering, Tokai University, Tokyo 151-8677, Japan
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18
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Associations between Pet Ownership and Frailty: A Systematic Review. Geriatrics (Basel) 2020; 5:geriatrics5040089. [PMID: 33182245 PMCID: PMC7709675 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics5040089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
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 have indicated that pet owners are more engaged in physical activity than non-owners. We conducted a systematic review regarding associations between pet ownerships and frailty among community-dwelling older adults and critically assessed the findings. PubMed was searched in April 2020 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for cross-sectional or prospective studies examining associations between pet ownership and frailty in community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 60 or above. A supplementary search was done using Google Scholar. Identified articles were reviewed by two investigators independently and assessed for methodological quality. The search identified 48 studies, among which three studies (two cross-sectional and one prospective) were included in this review. These studies suggested that pet ownership may be associated with a lower risk of frailty. This systematic review found only a limited amount of relevant research. More research is needed to establish the link between pet ownership and frailty as well as healthy aging and well-being.
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Schwarzmüller-Erber G, Stummer H, Maier M, Kundi M. Nature Relatedness of Recreational Horseback Riders and Its Association with Mood and Wellbeing. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17114136. [PMID: 32531937 PMCID: PMC7312614 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Connectedness to nature and nature contact can provide many benefits to humans, like stress reduction, recovery from illness, and increased positive emotions. Likewise, recreational horseback riding is a widespread sports activity with the potential to enhance physical and psychological health. Yet, the influence of connectedness to nature on the wellbeing of older aged recreational horseback riders has not been investigated so far. The aim of the present study therefore was to explore the relationship between nature relatedness and physical, psychological and social wellbeing and happiness. The study sample was composed of Austrian recreational horseback riders aged 45 years and older, who were compared with dog owners and people without pets (n = 178). We found significantly higher nature relatedness, significantly higher overall wellbeing and a significantly better mood rating in recreational horseback riders compared to people without pets and similar scores compared to dog owners. Physical wellbeing is correlated with overall nature relatedness in horseback riders and dog owners, but no correlation was found in people without pets. A structural equation model shows a direct relationship between nature relatedness and mood in horseback riders and an indirect relationship through pet attachment in dog owners. The results suggest the activity with horses and dogs in nature environments is a source of wellbeing, enjoyment, self-confidence and social contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schwarzmüller-Erber
- Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
- Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Wien, Favoritenstrasse 226, 1100 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
| | - Harald Stummer
- Institute for Management & Economics in Health Care, UMIT, 6060 Hall i.T., Austria;
- Faculty of Business, University Seeburg Castle, Seeburgstraße 8, 5201 Seekirchen/Wallersee, Austria
| | - Manfred Maier
- Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Michael Kundi
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
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Pet Attachment and Wellbeing of Older-Aged Recreational Horseback Riders. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17061865. [PMID: 32183083 PMCID: PMC7143422 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17061865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine if and how emotional attachment to their animal of older-aged (45+) horseback riders affects their physical, psychological and social wellbeing in comparison to dog owners. Overall, 124 individuals 45+ years answered questionnaires about pet attachment and wellbeing. Comparisons were carried out using a general linear model with activity group (rider/dog owner) as the main variable of interest. Horseback riders had no significantly lower pet attachment scores compared to dog owners. Gender differences of pet attachment were found in riders, with women having higher love factor scores. Self-reported mood during activities with the animal was significantly correlated with overall pet attachment, pet love and personal growth by contact with the pet in both, riders and dog owners. We observed no correlation of physical wellbeing during and after the activity with the animal and overall pet attachment in dog owners and horseback riders. Psychological wellbeing during the activity was significantly correlated with overall pet attachment in riders and social wellbeing during the activity in both groups. Recreational horseback riders nearly reach pet attachment scores of dog owners, increasing social and psychological wellbeing in a manner similar to that in dog owners.
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