Citation

Young J, Bowen-Salter H, O'Dwyer L, Stevens K, Nottle C, Baker A. Anthrozoös 2020; 33(2): 191-205.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Berg)

DOI

10.1080/08927936.2020.1719759

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

An unanticipated finding during research on the role that pets play in the health of older adults was that pets had protected some from suicide. Given that older people are more vulnerable to fatal first attempts, understanding protective factors in this population is vital. Twelve older adults interviewed about the role of pets on their health spoke overtly of suicide (n = 2), obliquely referred to suicidal ideation (n = 5), or reported high levels of distress and/or depression (n = 5). These participants were aged 60 to 83 years; five were male and seven were female. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive thematic approach in order to understand how they (collectively) identified pets as protecting them from suicide. Concepts of function, presence, known-ness, and reciprocity emerged as factors protective against suicide. These factors may counter those already identified as underpinning suicidal behavior: perceived burdensomeness and social alienation. For some older people, relationships with nonhuman others may be protective against suicide. Systemic responses that incorporate human-animal relationship awareness need to be explored to promote and protect some humans while also considering the impact on pets. © 2020, © 2020 ISAZ.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; social interaction; suicide; female; male; aged; quality of life; aging; depression; chronic pain; suicidal behavior; risk factor; awareness; euthanasia; distress syndrome; nonhuman; health promotion; social behavior; qualitative analysis; Article; Animalia; descriptive research; public health problem; thematic analysis; pet animal; questionnaire survey; nature-society relations; reciprocity; aging population; domestic species; human–animal interaction; pets; social alienation