The Effect of Pet Ownership on Quality of Life and Personality Traits in Individuals

Dilek BAYKAL¹, Şeyma DEMIRALAY², İlkay KESER³

1. Istanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Istanbul, Turkiye
2. Istanbul Atlas University , Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Istanbul, Turkiye
3. Akdeniz University, Faculty of Nursing, Department of Psyhiatric Nursing, Antalya, Turkiye

*Corresponding Author: İlkay KESER; E-mail: ikeser@akdeniz.edu.tr

Abstract
Background
The management of chronic diseases is important in managing global health and reducing mortality. The management of chronic diseases is an important factor affecting the quality of life. The perception of chronic diseases reveals the management of the disease process, reactions the individual reveals, and the differences in coping styles. Different approaches to events arise from different personality traits. In addition to medical treatment, psychosocial treatments/interventions are recommended in compliance with chronic diseases that reduce the quality of life and the management of symptoms. One of these intervention methods is animal-supported interventions based on human-animal interaction.
Aim
This study aimed to examine the effect of pet ownership on quality of life and personality traits in individuals with chronic diseases.
Methods
Data were collected in face-to-face interviews in a private hospital in İstanbul, Turkiye between October 2021 and 2022. A descriptive characteristics information form, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated (EPQR-A, and the Quality-of-Life Scale Short Form (SF-12) were used for data collection.
Results
In the study, there was a significance between the SF12-Mental composite score of individuals with chronic diseases who were not with their pets and stated that they had difficulty in pet care. There was also a significance between those who stated that they had difficulty in pet care and SF12-Physical composite score, extraversion, and lie subscales. There was a significance between SF12-Mental composite score and those who had a dog, cat, hamster, or rabbit and between SF12-Physical composite score and those who had a dog, cat, or hamster.
Conclusions
The status of being with their pets, having difficulty in their care, and thinking that pets limited their lives affect the quality of life of people with chronic diseases. In addition, the personality traits of these patients change according to the pets they have and their quality of life is affected.

Keywords: chronic diseases, quality of life, personality, psychosocial therapies, pets