The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review
Abstract Research to date in Western contexts has indicated various physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children, but less is known about the role pets play in the health of children in China. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on the effects...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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CABI
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Human-Animal Interactions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0025 |
| _version_ | 1797280059655979008 |
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| author | Xiaoshan Yin Paul Graham Morris Fangqing Liu Joanne M. Williams |
| author_facet | Xiaoshan Yin Paul Graham Morris Fangqing Liu Joanne M. Williams |
| author_sort | Xiaoshan Yin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Research to date in Western contexts has indicated various physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children, but less is known about the role pets play in the health of children in China. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on the effects of pet ownership on physical and psychological health among children in China. A literature search was performed in eight databases for studies that investigated the health and psychological effects of pet exposure on children (operationalized as birth to 20 years) in China, and a quality assessment and a narrative synthesis of results were conducted. Fifty-nine studies published between 2002 and 2021 were included in this review, of which 57 focused on children’s physical health issues including asthma and allergy symptoms, Toxoplasma gondii infection, animal induced injuries, low birth weight and hypertension, while only two studies focused on children’s psychological health. Overall, pet exposure was most often studied as a risk factor for respiratory health, injuries, and T. gondii infection among children in China but was also seen as a protective factor for cardiovascular health and for the association between environmental pollution and children’s respiratory function. In addition to physical health effects, two studies focused on psychological factors: post-traumatic stress following animal-induced injuries and benefits of reading following a canine-assisted activity. Findings underscore the need for further research examining the effects of pet ownership on children’s development and psychological health in China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:34:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9507fa615aa499c85091f991e3403fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2957-9538 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:34:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | CABI |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human-Animal Interactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9507fa615aa499c85091f991e3403fe2024-03-03T10:00:56ZengCABIHuman-Animal Interactions2957-95382023-02-01202310.1079/hai.2023.0025The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic reviewXiaoshan Yin0Paul Graham Morris1Fangqing Liu2Joanne M. Williams3Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9AGClinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9AGClinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9AGClinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9AGAbstract Research to date in Western contexts has indicated various physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children, but less is known about the role pets play in the health of children in China. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on the effects of pet ownership on physical and psychological health among children in China. A literature search was performed in eight databases for studies that investigated the health and psychological effects of pet exposure on children (operationalized as birth to 20 years) in China, and a quality assessment and a narrative synthesis of results were conducted. Fifty-nine studies published between 2002 and 2021 were included in this review, of which 57 focused on children’s physical health issues including asthma and allergy symptoms, Toxoplasma gondii infection, animal induced injuries, low birth weight and hypertension, while only two studies focused on children’s psychological health. Overall, pet exposure was most often studied as a risk factor for respiratory health, injuries, and T. gondii infection among children in China but was also seen as a protective factor for cardiovascular health and for the association between environmental pollution and children’s respiratory function. In addition to physical health effects, two studies focused on psychological factors: post-traumatic stress following animal-induced injuries and benefits of reading following a canine-assisted activity. Findings underscore the need for further research examining the effects of pet ownership on children’s development and psychological health in China.http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0025petschildrenadolescentphysical healthpsychological healthsystematic review |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoshan Yin Paul Graham Morris Fangqing Liu Joanne M. Williams The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review Human-Animal Interactions pets children adolescent physical health psychological health systematic review |
| title | The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review |
| title_full | The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review |
| title_fullStr | The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review |
| title_short | The physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in China: A systematic review |
| title_sort | physical and psychological health effects of pet ownership among children in china a systematic review |
| topic | pets children adolescent physical health psychological health systematic review |
| url | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/hai.2023.0025 |
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