Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pet ownership and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown.
- Journal:
- Australian veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2021
- Authors:
- Phillipou, A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Swinburne University of Technology · Australia
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how owning a pet, like a cat or dog, affected people's mental health during the strict COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria, Australia. Researchers analyzed data from a large mental health survey that included 138 pet owners and 125 people without pets. Surprisingly, they found that having a pet was linked to a lower quality of life, although it didn't seem to affect feelings of resilience or loneliness. This suggests that during tough times like a pandemic, pets might add extra stress for their owners rather than help improve their well-being. Overall, the findings indicate that pet ownership may have a negative impact on quality of life during such challenging situations.
Abstract
Owning a pet has often been associated with improved mental health among owners, including enhanced quality of life, and decreased levels of depression and loneliness. The aim of this study was to identify whether owning a cat and/or dog was associated with better psychological wellbeing during a strict lockdown period in Victoria, Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analysed from a large-scale mental health study: the COvid-19 and you: mentaL heaLth in AusTralia now survEy (COLLATE). The impact of pet ownership on levels of resilience, loneliness and quality of life were examined in a sample of 138 pet owners and 125 non-pet owners. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that pet ownership was significantly associated with poorer quality of life, but not significantly associated with resilience or loneliness, after accounting for situational factors (e.g. job loss) and mood states. Contrary to expectations, the findings suggest that during a specific situation such as a pandemic, pets may contribute to increased burden among owners and contribute to poorer quality of life.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34164809/