Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report
Research suggests that people with HIV (PWH), who are at high risk for alcohol and substance use, may rely on relationships with pets for companionship and stress relief. There may be common mechanisms underlying both substance use and attachment to pets. The purpose of this brief research report wa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1258850/full |
| _version_ | 1827793347025043456 |
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| author | Jennifer W. Applebaum Shelby E. McDonald Eric C. Porges Maya Widmeyer Humberto E. Fabelo Darlene A. Kertes Robert L. Cook |
| author_facet | Jennifer W. Applebaum Shelby E. McDonald Eric C. Porges Maya Widmeyer Humberto E. Fabelo Darlene A. Kertes Robert L. Cook |
| author_sort | Jennifer W. Applebaum |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research suggests that people with HIV (PWH), who are at high risk for alcohol and substance use, may rely on relationships with pets for companionship and stress relief. There may be common mechanisms underlying both substance use and attachment to pets. The purpose of this brief research report was to compare alcohol and substance use behaviors between pet owners and non-owners among a cohort of PWH. Participants (n = 735) in a survey study of PWH in Florida were asked about their alcohol and substance use behaviors, whether they owned a pet, and their sociodemographic characteristics. We used bivariate analyses and logistic regression to examine differences in alcohol and substance use behaviors between pet owners and non-owners. Pet owners had higher mean AUDIT scores than non-owners (Mpet = 5, Mnopet = 4, z = −3.07, p = 0.002). Pet owners were more likely than non-owners to use alcohol in a harmful or hazardous way (AUDIT score ≥ 8), above and beyond sociodemographic characteristics (OR = 1.65, p = 0.052). Pet owners were more likely to have ever used most substances than non-owners, and more likely to currently use alcohol (X2(1) = 12.97, p = 0.000), marijuana or hashish (X2(1) = 6.82, p = 0.009), and amyl nitrate/poppers (X2(1) = 11.18, p = 0.001). Pet owners may be more likely to use alcohol and other substances at higher rates than non-owners. Reasons for owning a pet and using substances may be similar, such as coping with stress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:16:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ad398e531cd413f9f3bcbe099943bd6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:16:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ad398e531cd413f9f3bcbe099943bd62023-10-16T06:57:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-10-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.12588501258850Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research reportJennifer W. Applebaum0Shelby E. McDonald1Eric C. Porges2Maya Widmeyer3Humberto E. Fabelo4Darlene A. Kertes5Robert L. Cook6Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDenver Zoological Foundation, Denver, CO, United StatesDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesUnconditional Love, Inc., Melbourne, FL, United StatesSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesResearch suggests that people with HIV (PWH), who are at high risk for alcohol and substance use, may rely on relationships with pets for companionship and stress relief. There may be common mechanisms underlying both substance use and attachment to pets. The purpose of this brief research report was to compare alcohol and substance use behaviors between pet owners and non-owners among a cohort of PWH. Participants (n = 735) in a survey study of PWH in Florida were asked about their alcohol and substance use behaviors, whether they owned a pet, and their sociodemographic characteristics. We used bivariate analyses and logistic regression to examine differences in alcohol and substance use behaviors between pet owners and non-owners. Pet owners had higher mean AUDIT scores than non-owners (Mpet = 5, Mnopet = 4, z = −3.07, p = 0.002). Pet owners were more likely than non-owners to use alcohol in a harmful or hazardous way (AUDIT score ≥ 8), above and beyond sociodemographic characteristics (OR = 1.65, p = 0.052). Pet owners were more likely to have ever used most substances than non-owners, and more likely to currently use alcohol (X2(1) = 12.97, p = 0.000), marijuana or hashish (X2(1) = 6.82, p = 0.009), and amyl nitrate/poppers (X2(1) = 11.18, p = 0.001). Pet owners may be more likely to use alcohol and other substances at higher rates than non-owners. Reasons for owning a pet and using substances may be similar, such as coping with stress.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1258850/fullpetscompanion animalspeople with HIValcohol usesubstance useHIV/AIDS |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer W. Applebaum Shelby E. McDonald Eric C. Porges Maya Widmeyer Humberto E. Fabelo Darlene A. Kertes Robert L. Cook Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report Frontiers in Psychiatry pets companion animals people with HIV alcohol use substance use HIV/AIDS |
| title | Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report |
| title_full | Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report |
| title_fullStr | Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report |
| title_short | Pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with HIV: a brief research report |
| title_sort | pet ownership is associated with harmful alcohol use among a cohort of people with hiv a brief research report |
| topic | pets companion animals people with HIV alcohol use substance use HIV/AIDS |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1258850/full |
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