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Critical Review of Research Methods Used to Consider the Impact of Human-Animal Interaction on Older Adults' Health
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Friedmann, E., Gee, N. R.
Background and Objectives Most research on human-animal interaction (HAI) and human health focuses on one of three perspectives: (a) health effects of pet ownership; (b) health effects of contact with a companion animal; or (c) health effects of animal-assisted interventions including...
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The Role of Pets in Supporting Cognitive-Behavioral Chronic Pain Self-Management: Perspectives of Older Adults
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Janevic, Mary R., Shute, Varick, Connell, Cathleen M., Piette, John D., Goesling, Jenna, Fynke, Julie
Cognitive-behavioral self-management strategies are recommended for older adults with chronic pain. The goal of this study was to explore how pet ownership promotes use of these strategies in everyday life. We conducted four focus groups (N = 25) with dog and cat owners aged ≥70 years with...
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Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease: another look
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Parslow, R. A., Jorm, A. F.
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Health effects of ownership of and attachment to companion animals in an older population
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Winefield, H. R., Black, A., Chur-Hansen, A.
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Pet ownership and health in older adults: findings from a survey of 2,551 community-based Australians aged 60-64
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Parslow, R. A., Jorm, A. F., Christensen, H., Rodgers, B., Jacomb, P.
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Influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people: an analysis of a one-year longitudinal study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Raina, Parminder, Waltner-Toews, David, Bonnett, Brenda, Woodward, Christel, Abernathy, Tom
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The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Cherniack, E. P., Cherniack, A. R.
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Relationships between dog ownership and physical activity in postmenopausal women
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Garcia, D. O., Wertheim, B. C., Manson, J. E., Chlebowski, R. T., Volpe, S. L., Howard, B. V., Stefanick, M. L., Thomson, C. A.
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Examining differences between homebound older adult pet owners and non-pet owners in depression, systemic inflammation, and executive function
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Branson, S., Boss, L., Cron, S., Kang, DuckHee
Homebound older adults are prone to depression, which is linked to systemic inflammation that promotes executive function decline. A companion animal may reduce the negative biobehavioral processes asso- ciated with depression, inflammation, and reduced executive function in homebound older...
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Dog Walking, the Human-Animal Bond and Older Adults' Physical Health
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Curl, A. L., Bibbo, J., Johnson, R. A.
Purpose of the Study This study explored the associations between dog ownership and pet bonding with walking behavior and health outcomes in older adults. Design and Methods We used data from the 12th wave (2012) of the Health and Retirement Study which included an experimental...
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Pet ownership and survival in the elderly hypertensive population
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Enayet K. Chowdhury, Mark R. Nelson, Garry L.R. Jennings, Lindon M.H. Wing, Christopher M. Reid
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Human-animal interaction as a social determinant of health: descriptive findings from the health and retirement study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Megan Kiely Mueller, Nancy Dreschel, Regina M. Bures
Background We focused on human-animal interaction (HAI) as an important aspect of social functioning at the individual level, framing this emerging field from a public health perspective. Methods Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2012 HAI module, we describe the...
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The influence of dog ownership on objective measures of free-living physical activity and sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal case-controlled study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Philippa Margaret Dall, Sarah Lesley Helen Ellis, Brian Martin Ellis, P Margaret Grant, Alison Colyer, Nancy Renee Gee, Malcolm Howard Granat, Daniel Simon Mills
Background There is some evidence to suggest that dog ownership may improve physical activity (PA) among older adults, but to date, studies examining this, have either depended on self-report or incomplete datasets due to the type of activity monitor used to record physical activity....
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Companion Animals and Health in Older Populations: A Systematic Review
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Hughes, M. J., Verreynne, M. L., Harpur, P., Pachana, N. A.
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The State of Research on Human–Animal Relations: Implications for Human Health
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Wells, Deborah L.
Since the late 1970s, scientific evidence has accumulated showing that pet ownership can have positive effects on people’s physical and mental wellbeing. This paper reviews the current state of affairs regarding the relationship between companion animals and human health, focusing on both the...
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A Qualitative Analysis of Pets as Suicide Protection for Older People
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Young, Janette, Bowen-Salter, Holly, O’Dwyer, Lisel, Stevens, Kristen, Nottle, Carmel, Baker, Amy
An unanticipated finding during research on the role that pets play in the health of older adults was that pets had protected some from suicide. Given that older people are more vulnerable to fatal first attempts, understanding protective factors in this population is vital. Twelve older adults...
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New Zealand Pet Owners’ Demographic Characteristics, Personality, and Health and Wellbeing: More Than Just a Fluff Piece
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Fraser, Gloria, Huang, Yanshu, Robinson, Kealagh, Wilson, Marc S., Bulbulia, Joseph, Sibley, Chris G.
Although the relationship between pet ownership and health and wellbeing has received considerable attention in popular media, research on the topic shows inconsistent findings. We addressed the methodological weaknesses of previous studies by using data from a national probability survey (the...
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Pet ownership and its influence on mental health in older adults
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Genieve Zhe Hui Gan, Anne-Marie Hill, Polly Yeung, Sharon Keesing, Julie Anne Netto
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Pet ownership and symptoms of depression: A prospective study of older adults
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Christopher Sharpley, Nicola Veronese, Lee Smith, Guillermo F. López-Sánchez, Vicki Bitsika, Jacopo Demurtas, Stefano Celotto, Vania Noventa, Pinar Soysal, Ahmet Turan Isik, Igor Grabovac, Sarah E. Jackson
Background: This paper aims to examine associations between pet ownership and symptoms of depression in a large, population-based sample of older adults. Specifically, we tested whether: (i) people who report more depressive symptoms are more likely to own a pet; (ii) pet ownership protects...
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Pawsitive Connections: The role of Pet Support Programs and pets on the elderly
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Stephanie Cryer, Claire Henderson-Wilson, Justin Lawson
Objectives This study describes the experiences of Pet Support Program clients in Melbourne, Australia and how the programs reduce the social isolation of the elderly. The study also describes the role of pets and associated health benefits of pet ownership. Method The qualitative...
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Companion animals likely do not spread COVID-19 but may get infected themselves
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Anna Csiszar, Ferenc Jakab, Teresa G. Valencak, Zsófia Lanszki, Gábor Endre Tóth, Gábor Kemenesi, Stefano Tarantini, Vince Fazekas-Pongor, Zoltan Ungvari
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). From the epidemiological data, the picture emerges that the more severe etiopathologies among COVID-19 patients are found in elderly...
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Association between pet ownership and physical activity levels, atopic conditions, and mental health in Singapore: a propensity score-matched analysis
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Ying Xian Goh, Joel Shi Quan Tan, Nicholas L. Syn, Beverley Shu Wen Tan, Jia Ying Low, Yi Han Foo, Waikit Fung, Brandon Yi Da Hoong, Junxiong Pang
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Associations between Pet Ownership and Frailty: A Systematic Review
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Gotaro Kojima, Reijiro Aoyama, Yu Taniguchi
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Lifesaving in Every Way: The Role of Companion Animals in the Lives of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults Age 50 and Over
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Anna Muraco, Jennifer Putney, Chengshi Shiu, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen
This study uses mixed-methods data and a life-course perspective to explore the role of pets in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults age 50 and over and addresses the following research questions: (1) How does having a pet relate to perceived social support and...
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Effects of Proximity between Companion Dogs and Their Caregivers on Heart Rate Variability Measures in Older Adults: A Pilot Study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Heidi K. Ortmeyer, Leslie I. Katzel
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive tool used to evaluate autonomic nervous system function and is affected by age, stress, postural changes, and physical activity. Dog ownership has been associated with higher 24-hr HRV and increased physical activity compared to nonowners. The current...
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Understanding the Relationship Between Pet Ownership and Physical Activity Among Older Community-Dwelling Adults—A Mixed Methods Study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Mandy Peacock, Julie Netto, Polly Yeung, Joanne McVeigh, Anne-Marie Hill
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Dog ownership, the natural outdoor environment and health: a cross-sectional study
Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Wilma L Zijlema, Hayley Christian, Margarita Triguero-Mas, Marta Cirach, Magdalena van den Berg, Jolanda Maas, Christopher J Gidlow, Hanneke Kruize, Wanda Wendel-Vos, Sandra Andrušaitytė, Regina Grazuleviciene, Jill Litt, Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen