ArticleBMC public health2018
Human-animal interaction as a social determinant of health: descriptive findings from the health and retirement study.
Article in BMC public health, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 96 citations in OpenAlex.
- Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effects of human-animal interactions on health and well-being of older adults: an umbrella review.BMC geriatrics · 2026Pooled it
- Access to veterinary care: evaluating working definitions, barriers, and implications for animal welfare.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2024Pooled it
- Pet's influence on humans' daily physical activity and mental health: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2023Pooled it
- The effects of interacting with fish in aquariums on human health and well-being: A systematic review.PloS one · 2019Pooled it
- Unmet Pet Caregiving Needs are Associated with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Among People Living with HIV.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- Social Capital and Pets in Retirement Villages.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Pet Ownership, Depression, Anxiety, Well-Being, and Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Factors of pet ownership associated with human health: A representative cross-sectional survey of Switzerland.PloS one · 2026Article
- Pet Ownership, Pet Attachment, and Longitudinal Changes in Psychological Health-Evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Preliminary Findings on Low-Dose 1cp-LSD for Canine Anxiety: Exploring the Role of Owner Neuroticism and Psychopathology.Veterinary sciences · 2025Article
- Veterans Training Service Dogs for Other Veterans: An Animal-Assisted Intervention for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Exploring the Role of Cognitive Reserve and Human-Animal Interaction in Late-Life Depression: A Moderation Analysis.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Longitudinal relationships between pet ownership and cognitive functioning in later adulthood across pet types and individuals' ages.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Development and Validation of an Index to Measure and Quantify Pet-Related Barriers to Healthcare Access and Utilization.Anthrozoos · 2025Article
- Baseline Estimates for Companion Animals Living in Households in Hawai'i: Associated Socio-Demographic, and Select Health Variables, as Measured by a Household Survey.Hawai'i journal of health & social welfare · 2025Article
- Article
- Links between pet ownership and exercise on the mental health of veterinary professionals.Veterinary record open · 2023Article
- The Impact of Sustained Ownership of a Pet on Cognitive Health: A Population-Based Study.Journal of aging and health · 2023Article
- Pet Ownership and Maintenance of Physical Function in Older Adults-Evidence From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA).Innovation in aging · 2023Article
- The Furr-Recovery Method: Interacting with Furry Co-Workers during Work Time Is a Micro-Break That Recovers Workers' Regulatory Resources and Contributes to Their Performance.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundWe 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.
methodsUsing data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2012 HAI module, we describe the characteristics of pet ownership in a population of older adults, and examine the relation between pet ownership and multiple mental and physical health indicators such as health status, depression, and physical activity.
resultsOf the 1657 participants in our subsample, approximately half (51.5%) reported being pet owners; the majority owned dogs or cats, and most had only one pet. Pet ownership was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of ever having had depression, with pet owners being 1.89 times more likely to have experienced depression. However, pet ownership was not associated with having experienced depression within the last week.
conclusionsThe findings from this study could indicate a relationship between pet ownership and depression, but it is impossible to determine the directionality of that relationship. It is possible that owning a pet may put a person at an increased risk of developing depression, or individuals who are at risk, or who have already developed depression, may acquire a pet as a way of managing their depressive symptoms. The findings of this study provide an initial step in contributing to our understanding of the relationship between companion animals and the social, physical, and mental well-being of the HRS study population. Future research should include measures of HAI in longitudinal, population-based surveys.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.