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Playing with pets and longevity among older people
J S Tucker1, H S Friedman, C M Tsai
1Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254-9110, USA.
Psychology and Aging
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Playing with pets did not improve longevity or health outcomes in a long-term study. This research examined the association between pet ownership and health in older adults, finding no significant benefits.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Human-Animal Interaction
- Public Health
Background:
- The potential health benefits of pet ownership are widely discussed.
- Previous research suggests a link between pets and improved well-being.
- However, robust evidence, particularly from long-term studies, is still needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between contact with pets and health outcomes.
- To investigate if playing with pets is associated with longevity and health-related factors in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Archival prospective study utilizing data from the Terman longitudinal study (initiated 1921).
- Survival analyses were performed on documented longevity data.
- Data included pet interaction in 1977 (mean age 67) and mortality through 1991.
Main Results:
- Playing with pets in 1977 was not associated with mortality risk through 1991.
- This finding held true for the total sample, unmarried individuals, and those less satisfied with human relationships.
- Pet interaction showed no association with health-prone attributes or behaviors like personality, social ties, education, or smoking.
Conclusions:
- Contact with pets, specifically playing with them, did not demonstrate a significant association with enhanced longevity or health in this cohort.
- The study suggests that the perceived health benefits of pet ownership may not extend to mortality risk or broader health behaviors in older age.