Demographics and self-reported well-being of Brazilian adults as a function of pet ownership: A pilot study

Abstract

The goals of the present study were to investigate socio-demographic characteristics and well-being indicators associated with pet ownership. The respondents (N = 801, 53.8% females; 56.2% with children) came from the five macro-regions of Brazil (8% North, 28% Northeast, 36% Southeast, 18% South, 10% Central-West). Their ages ranged from 20 to 50 years. Over half of the sample (60%) reported living with a pet. Logistic regression showed that residence type (to be owner versus renter) and parental status (to be childless versus to have children) were predictors of pet ownership. We found interaction between pet ownership and sex on well-being indicators: the Mann-Whitney test showed that men who owned a pet reported better sleep quality, better relationship with neighbors and less sadness; whereas women who owned a pet reported lower life organization. With respect to life satisfaction, no differences were found between pet owners and non-pet owners. Implications of our findings and new research directions are discussed. Our study was conducted before the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey should be reapplied during and after the pandemic, so that we can deepen our knowledge of the socio-demographic characteristics and subjective well-being indicators associated with pet ownership.

Keywords

• Psychology
• Pet ownership
• Pets
• Demographics
• Well-being