Pet Owning, and Diabetes Coping: a Pilot Study

Abstract. Diabetes is a disease with a growing frequency in the contemporary world. Optimal outcomes in diabetes require daily self-management and compliance to a sometimes complicated scheme of treatment. (Collins et al, 2009). Since animal’s companionship moderates the effects of stress, subjective health complains and social interaction on mood components, having a pet might ease the process of coping with diabetes and its treatment requirements. Former studies have showen that owning a pet generally ameliorates the overall quality of life in people with chronic diseases. (Allen et al, 2002; Edwards et al, 2002; Johnson et al, 2003; Heady, 2004, Wong, 2005). In this present cross sectional study, we followed self management and treatment adherence, and their connections with the presence of a pet in a household, in a representative sample of 477 diabetics, in evidence of the ambulatory services of two major hospitals from Bucharest, Romania, in 2011. From the sample, 39 % were pet owners, from which 95 % had cats and dogs. Significantly more women than men declared having pets and more type1 diabetics had pets, than type 2. Average age for pet owners was 52.2, versus 54.25 years, for non owners. The analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between having a pet and respecting the medicamentous treatment of diabetes, even after correcting for age, gender, education, length of the disease and type of diabetes (Spearman Rho =.205, sig (2 tailed)=.011). No links have been found between the body mas