Premium
Impact of pet ownership on elderly Australians' use of medical services: an analysis using Medicare data
Author(s) -
Jorm Anthony F,
Jacomb Patricia A,
Christensen Helen,
Henderson Scott,
Korten Ailsa E,
Rodgers Bryan
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb123170.x
Subject(s) - mental health , medicine , medical record , health services , gerontology , family medicine , environmental health , psychiatry , population , radiology
Objectives To determine whether pet ownership by elderly people is associated with lower use of health services. Design Survey of physical and mental health, and retrospective 12‐month review of Medicare records of the number of general practitioner and specialist services. Participants and Setting Elderly people living in Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) and Queanbeyan (New South Wales), surveyed in 1994 for the second stage of a larger longitudinal study. Results Elderly pet owners did not differ from non‐owners on any of the physical or mental health measures or in use of health services. Conclusion Given the high use of health services by older people, our findings suggest that the claim that pet ownership leads to savings in health services should be viewed with caution.