Pet Ownership and Multiple Sclerosis during COVID-19

The Well-Being of Companion Animal Caregivers and Their Companion Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

It is important to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal caregivers and their companion animals in order to inform responses to future crises. Prior research is inconsistent, with the benefits of animal companionship believed to be overstated. In this scoping review, we searched four electronic databases and hand-searched reference lists of included studies. Over 4000 citations were found, and 122 were included in the review. Reflecting on the pre-COVID literature, quantitative evidence of the association between psychological well-being and animal companionship during the pandemic was mixed, with numerous positive, negative, and null findings reported. Studies highlighted the benefits of animal companionship during the pandemic, with animals reported to provide their caregivers with a routine, a sense of greater purpose, a positive distraction from COVID-19, companionship, and emotional support. However, participants also reported concerns about meeting animals' needs, fears of animals catching or spreading the virus, and financial worries. Concerns about what would happen to animals if caregivers were hospitalized led some to delay COVID-19 testing or treatment. Animals also experienced benefits (such as increased companionship and calmer mood) and negative impacts (such as increased clinginess and separation anxiety). Companion animals should be a key consideration in emergency preparedness plans.

Physical health caregiver, mental wellness supporter, and overall well-being advocate: Women's roles towards animal welfare during the COVID-19 emergency response

Women's health-specific contributions in emergency response stages pertain primarily to family and community-based rescue and support-focused roles. As disasters affect both human beings and their animal co-inhabitants, comprehensive literature exploring women's contributions towards companion animal welfare in emergency response settings remains sparse. COVID-19-triggered public health mitigation strategies caused diverse challenges relating to veterinary medical service access, thus establishing a platform for a nuanced exploration of gendered roles vis-a-vis animal health and well-being during the initial COVID-19 emergency response period. This project employs a semi-structured interview approach to qualitatively investigate the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of twelve people, eleven of whom self-identify as women, who cared for animal co-inhabitants while seeking veterinary medical services during the COVID-19 emergency response in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This research identifies three primary animal welfare-related roles that woman companion animal guardians (WCAGs) assumed during the COVID-19 emergency response period: 1) Companion animal physical health caregiver, spanning from nuclear to extended families and into the community; 2) Companion animal mental wellness supporter, associated with human-animal interactions in family/household, community, and veterinary clinic settings; 3) Companion animal holistic well-being advocate, utilizing various strategies at family, community, and societal levels. Understanding gender-specific animal welfare contributions in an emergency response setting narrows knowledge gaps and provides WCAGs and animal welfare-related public, private, and not-for-profit sectors with evidence-based strategies for emergency response planning improvements, supporting healthy and sustainable human-animal bonds in the current COVID-19 pandemic and future extreme events.

Pet ownership and lifestyle behaviours of immunosuppressed individuals and their relatives in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures will likely have a detrimental impact on immunosuppressed individuals' lifestyle behaviours. Increasing evidence suggests that pet ownership is positively associated with healthier lifestyle. Yet, no study has investigated the potential benefits of pet ownership on lifestyle behaviours of immunosuppressed individuals, a population at increased risk of COVID-19 complications. This study aims to examine 1) changes in light, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity (LPA, MPA, VPA), sedentary time (SED), and sleep duration, assessed by comparing "before COVID-19 pandemic" and "past 7 days" (i.e., current, during pandemic) self-reported behaviours in immunosuppressed individuals and their relatives; 2) to assess if changes in lifestyle behaviours are associated with pet ownership status and whether age is a moderator of these associations. A convenience sample of 132 participants (65.2% female, 41.3% ≥55 years of age) provided self-reported LPA, MPA, VPA (days/week), SED and sleep (min/day) and pet ownership status using an online questionnaire (May-August 2020). Descriptive analyses, paired T-tests, Cohen's d effect size and linear regressions were conducted. Results show that participants reported a decrease in VPA (-0.56 days/week, d = 0.34; p < 0.01) and an increase in SED (106.79 min/day, d = -0.81; p < 0.01). Stratified analysis revealed that having at least one dog, compared to not owning pets, is associated with a reduced decline in LPA, MPA and VPA and an increase in sleep in participants aged < 55 years old only. Having a dog appears to be positively associated with healthy lifestyle behaviours in younger and middle age immunosuppressed individuals.

The impact of COVID-19 on people with multiple sclerosis: A comparison of Italian and United States cohorts

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The present cross-national study addressed the relationship among three pandemic-related variables and multiple sclerosis (MS) disability outcomes among people with MS in Italy and the United States (US).

METHODS

This cross-sectional web-based study was administered to 708 patients with MS from the US and Italy in late Spring through mid-Summer of 2020. Pandemic-related variables assessed worry, self-protection, and post-traumatic growth. The Performance Scales© assessed MS disability. Multivariate multiple regression models addressed, separately by country, the relationship among worry, protection, and post-traumatic growth with MS disability, after covariate adjustment.

RESULTS

The Italian sample (n = 292) was younger and less disabled than the US group (n = 416). After covariate adjustment, all three pandemic-related variables were associated with MS disability outcomes in the US sample, but only worry and post-traumatic growth were associated in the Italian sample. Worse cognitive and depression symptoms were associated with worry, and lesser mobility disability was associated with endorsed growth in both countries. More disability variables were associated with worry and growth in the Italian sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The pandemic's negative aspects were associated with worse disability in both countries, and reported post-traumatic growth was associated with lesser disability. These findings may suggest directions for clinical intervention.