An analysis of data obtained from a national survey in Switzerland revealed that pet owners more often report poorer health and exhibit a higher frequency of unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking more cigarettes daily. Nevertheless, scientists could not find any advantages for people with pets regarding indicators such as loneliness, overall life satisfaction, psychological well-being, or degree of social support.
Study Methodology
It is known that a person's condition and well-being are largely determined by the presence of social connections and support. Large-scale scientific studies emphasize that loneliness and living in isolation contribute to a 25–30 percent increase in mortality. Although there is a widely accepted consensus on the critical importance of intraspecies social ties, interaction between different species remains an understudied area.
For many people, pets serve as an important social companion, perceived as full members of the family and a potential source of social assistance. However, research results on this matter are mixed. Some scientific publications point to no correlation between dog ownership and mortality from any cause or cardiovascular disease, while other studies note that accounting for socio-demographic factors can weaken or completely eliminate the link between having a pet and health status.
Data Analysis Results
A team of researchers led by Karin Hediger from the University of Basel analyzed an extensive and nationally representative dataset provided by the Swiss Centre of Social Sciences FORS. The scientists aimed to study differences in health status caused by owning or regularly interacting with pets. The basis for this analysis was the results of a representative cross-sectional survey concerning the views of the Swiss population on a wide range of social issues.
The final sample included data from 2328 respondents over 18 years old. Of these, 1105 reported having pets or regularly interacting with them, while 1223 participants had no such experience. Multivariate analysis, conducted while considering various covariates, showed that people who owned pets rated their health lower (p < 0.038), although the effect size was relatively small. Furthermore, pet owners reported a slight but statistically significant increase in the frequency of unhealthy behavior: they smoked 0.19 cigarettes per day more compared to those without pets (p < 0.001).
Lack of Correlations and Influencing Factors
Researchers found no differences between pet owners and non-owners regarding the assessment of healthcare utilization, levels of loneliness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and degree of social support. It was also established that people who regularly interacted with animals were no different from respondents without such contact across all these parameters.
The subjective assessment of the degree of attachment to an animal was not linked to health, loneliness, life satisfaction, or psychological well-being. However, it was noted that a lower assessment of psychological well-being correlated with a higher level of socio-emotional support from the pet and, to a greater extent, with frequent contact with animals kept in aquariums or terrariums. Scientists found that the effect of attachment and emotional support from an animal was stronger in women (p < 0.001), and the greatest effect was observed in relation to dogs (p = 0.001).
The authors concluded that there is only limited evidence of a direct link between having a pet and human health. Similarly, regular contact with animals itself was not associated with improved well-being. Despite some positive aspects, the collected data suggest that the relationship between a pet and human health is determined by a complex interplay of multiple factors related to both the person and the animal.
