Health and Nutritional Status among Pet Owners and Non-Pet Owners in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

:The study investigated the effect of pet ownership on the nutritional status and perceived health status among adults. This study involved 160 adult respondents (80 pet owners, 80 non-pet owners) recruited in Kuala Lumpur. Respondents completed Lexington-Pet Attachment to Pet Scale (only for pet owners), ShortForm Health Survey-12 (SF-12) and Perceived Stress Scale. The results indicate that body mass index, perceived physical health, perceived mental health, and perceived stress among pet owners were not significantly different than non-pet owners. However, when pet attachment level was considered, it was found that pet owners who were highly bonded to their pets reported better mental health and perceived stress than non-pet owners, but not better perceived physical health (p < 0.05). A correlation test showed no association between pet attachment level and perceived physical health of pet owners (ρ = 0.194, p > 0.05). Nevertheless, greater attachment to a pet was associated with better perceived mental health (r = 0.336, p < 0.05) and lower perceived stress (ρ = -0.412, p < 0.05). This study revealed that pets positively impact their owners' overall perceived mental health and perceived stress level, but this appears to differ based on the pet attachment level.

Perbedaan Stres Pada Mahasiswa Ditinjau Dari Kepemilikan Hewan Peliharaan

“…Hal ini sejalan dengan penelitian yang dilakukan Dinis & Martins (2016), hubungan yang terjadi antara hewan peliharaan dengan pemiliknya dapat memberikan efek terhadap suasana hati dan memberikan dukungan sosial hingga manfaat fisiologis. Semakin tinggi kelekatan yang terbentuk, maka akan membuat pemilik merasakan cinta dan merasa dihargai oleh hewan peliharaan jika sering berinteraksi (Li et al, 2017).…”