Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34805473›Full record

ArticleOne health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)2021

Association between pet ownership and physical activity and mental health during the COVID-19 "circuit breaker" in Singapore.

Joel Shi Quan Tan, Waikit Fung, Beverley Shu Wen Tan, Jia Ying Low, Nicholas L Syn, Ying Xian Goh, Junxiong Pang

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 44 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Social Capital and Pets in Retirement Villages.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Joel Shi Quan TanYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Waikit FungYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Beverley Shu Wen TanYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Jia Ying LowYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Nicholas L SynYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Ying Xian GohYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 10 Medical Dr, 117597, Singapore.
Junxiong PangSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, Level 10, 117549, Singapore.
National University of Singapore · SGNational University Health System · SG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe negative impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health and physical activity is well reported. While prior studies showed a positive influence of pet ownership on physical activity and mental health, the interactions between the pandemic and pet ownership are not well studied.

objectiveTo determine the association between pet ownership, physical activity levels and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from May 19 to July 13, 2020 among Singapore residents aged 21 to 64 years through a previously published questionnaire. Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to develop mixed-effects models for outcome comparisons. We recorded participant data on pet ownership, duration and intensity of physical activity, and RAND 36-item Health Survey mental health domains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

resultsThe questionnaire was completed by 431 pet owners and 103 non-pet owners. A greater proportion of pet owners were female, non-married, employed and owned pets in the past. Pet owners reported 31.8 (95% CI 13.6 to 50;

conclusionPet ownership was associated with greater physical activity levels and better mental health, particularly in main caregivers with higher pet attachment scores. These findings suggest that pet ownership is beneficial to physical and mental well-being during periods of social isolation amidst a global pandemic.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental healthPet ownershipPhysical activity

Identifiers

PMID34805473
PMCPMC8581575
OpenAlexW3213746893

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.