Abstract
ObjectivesPrevious studies examined the physical characteristics of older dog owners. However, associations of health-related factors with dog/cat ownership have not been comprehensively evaluated. This cross-sectional study examined physical function, physical activity, social function, and psychological function of a population of community-dwelling older Japanese dog and cat owners after controlling for important confounders.MethodsThe analysis included data from 11,233 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older (51.5% women; 52.3% aged 75–84), in Ota City, Tokyo, Japan. Pet ownership experience and pet species owned were determined by self-reported questionnaire, and current, past, and never dog/cat ownership was analyzed.ResultsAnalysis of variables related to physical function and physical activity showed that motor fitness scale and walking activity were significantly associated with experience of dog ownership, after adjustment for important sociodemographic and health characteristics. Analysis of social function showed that interaction with neighbors, social isolation, and trust in neighbors were significantly associated with experience of dog ownership and cat ownership.ConclusionsAs compared with respondents with no history of pet ownership, motor fitness and walking activity are greater for dog owners and social function is higher for dog and cat owners. Caring for a dog or cat might be an effective health promotion strategy to increase physical activity and facilitate social participation among older adults.
Highlights
The mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals has been referred to as human–animal interaction, and accumulating evidence highlights the psychological [1], physiological, and social benefits of interaction with animals and the therapeutic potential of animal-assisted programs in a wide range of settings [2]
As compared with respondents with no history of pet ownership, motor fitness and walking activity are greater for dog owners and social function is higher for dog and cat owners
Characteristics of dog and cat owners underlying the findings described in this study fully available without restriction to those who request the data, in compliance with the PLOS Data Availability policy
Summary
The mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals has been referred to as human–animal interaction, and accumulating evidence highlights the psychological [1], physiological, and social benefits of interaction with animals and the therapeutic potential of animal-assisted programs in a wide range of settings [2]. Previous studies reported the physiological benefits of such interaction among children and adults [3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Thorpe et al examined 2531 community-dwelling adults aged 71–82 years and reported that dog walkers at baseline were 1.65 times as likely as non–dog owners who did not walk at least three times per week to meet recommended walking targets within 3 years [12]. Previous studies examined the physical characteristics of older dog owners, they did not assess social and psychological factors in this population or independent associations of health characteristics with dog/cat ownership after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. Dog/cat owners may have many opportunities to facilitate social participation and/or to maintain psychological health through higher physical activity
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