Can “Rover” help with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Team

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.961067

Can “Rover” help with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Team

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

COVID-19 has negatively affected the mental health and well-being of adults, and thus it is important to examine potential factors which may influence mental health during the pandemic. We thus examined the association between pet ownership and depression/anxiety symptoms based on mental health disorder status during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included 12,068 cognitively healthy participants (45–86 years at study entry) from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) comprehensive cohort who completed the first follow-up ([FU1]; 2015–2018), and COVID-19 Survey entry (April–May 2020) and exit (September-December 2020). Participants self-reported at FU1 if they owned a pet (yes/no). Participants were dichotomized as with or without a mental health disorder based on self-reported diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or mood disorders at baseline assessment (2011–2015) or FU1. Depressive symptoms were indexed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) at FU1, and COVID-19 entry/exit surveys. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) at COVID-19 entry/exit surveys. Final models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, income, education, living status, smoking status, relationship status, and alcohol intake. Forty-percent of participants owned a pet at FU1. Among those without a mental health disorder, there were no significant differences in CESD-10 between participants who owned pets compared with those without pets. For people with a mental health disorder, pet owners had higher CESD-10 (estimated mean difference range: 0.56–1.02 points; p < 0.05) and GAD-7 scores (estimated mean difference range: 0.28–0.57 points; p < 0.05) at both COVID-19 entry and exit surveys. Among people with mental health disorders, pet ownership was associated with poor mental health symptoms during April 2020 to December 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Original language	English
Article number	961067
Journal	Frontiers in Psychiatry
Volume	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.961067
Publication status	Published - Sept 29 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding for the support of the CLSA COVID-19 Questionnaire based study is provided by Juravinski Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Provost Fund from McMaster University, McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, Public Health Agency of Canada and Government of Nova Scotia. Funding for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is provided by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) under grant reference: LSA 94473 and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, as well as the following provinces: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Falck, Liu-Ambrose, Noseworthy, Kirkland, Griffith, Basta, McMillan and Raina.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Psychiatry and Mental health

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3389/fpsyt.2022.961067

Cite this

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title = "Can “Rover” help with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)",

abstract = "COVID-19 has negatively affected the mental health and well-being of adults, and thus it is important to examine potential factors which may influence mental health during the pandemic. We thus examined the association between pet ownership and depression/anxiety symptoms based on mental health disorder status during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included 12,068 cognitively healthy participants (45–86 years at study entry) from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) comprehensive cohort who completed the first follow-up ([FU1]; 2015–2018), and COVID-19 Survey entry (April–May 2020) and exit (September-December 2020). Participants self-reported at FU1 if they owned a pet (yes/no). Participants were dichotomized as with or without a mental health disorder based on self-reported diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or mood disorders at baseline assessment (2011–2015) or FU1. Depressive symptoms were indexed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) at FU1, and COVID-19 entry/exit surveys. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) at COVID-19 entry/exit surveys. Final models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, income, education, living status, smoking status, relationship status, and alcohol intake. Forty-percent of participants owned a pet at FU1. Among those without a mental health disorder, there were no significant differences in CESD-10 between participants who owned pets compared with those without pets. For people with a mental health disorder, pet owners had higher CESD-10 (estimated mean difference range: 0.56–1.02 points; p < 0.05) and GAD-7 scores (estimated mean difference range: 0.28–0.57 points; p < 0.05) at both COVID-19 entry and exit surveys. Among people with mental health disorders, pet ownership was associated with poor mental health symptoms during April 2020 to December 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic.",

author = "{the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Team} and Falck, {Ryan S.} and Teresa Liu-Ambrose and Matthew Noseworthy and Susan Kirkland and Griffith, {Lauren E.} and Basta, {Nicole E.} and McMillan, {Jacqueline M.} and Parminder Raina",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for the support of the CLSA COVID-19 Questionnaire based study is provided by Juravinski Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Provost Fund from McMaster University, McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, Public Health Agency of Canada and Government of Nova Scotia. Funding for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is provided by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) under grant reference: LSA 94473 and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, as well as the following provinces: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 Falck, Liu-Ambrose, Noseworthy, Kirkland, Griffith, Basta, McMillan and Raina.",

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Can “Rover” help with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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