Serious Psychological Distress on the Rise Among Adults in California
Published Date: June 23, 2017

​There is conflicting evidence about whether living with pets results in better mental and physical health outcomes, with the majority of the empirical research evidence being inconclusive due to methodological limitations. The authors briefly review the research evidence, including the hypothesized mechanisms through which pet ownership may influence health outcomes. The study examines how pet and non-pet owners differ across a variety of socio-demographic and health measures, which has implications for the proper interpretation of a large number of correlational studies that attempt to draw causal attributions. Authors use 2003 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a large, population-based survey, and find that pet owners and non-pet owners differ across many traits, including gender, age, race/ethnicity, living arrangements, and income. A discussion about how the factors associated with the selection into the pet ownership group are related to a range of mental and physical health outcomes is included.

 


Publication Authors:

 

 

  • Jessica Saunders
  • Layla Parast
  • Susan H. Babey, PhD
  • Jeremy V. Miles

 

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Authors
Susan H. Babey, PhD