Background and Objectives: The public perception is that human-animal interaction (HAI) is well established as a promoter of health in older adults. The sparse research in older adults, and community living older adults in particular, leaves many questions about the benefits or disadvantages of HAI in this population partially answered or unanswered due to limitations in research topics and/or designs. We examined existing literature about human-animal interactions in older adults to gain better understanding about health outcomes are supported and not supported in this population and to gain understanding of methodological issues meriting additional attention.
Methods: We conducted a scoping review of HAI research related to health outcomes in older adults. This review identified three general categories of investigation. We reviewed research methods used to address each perspective, within the context of human aging, and identified challenges associated with these methods.
Results: Most research on HAI and human health focuses on one of three perspectives: (a) health effects of pet ownership; (b) health effects of contact with a companion animal; or (c) health effects of animal-assisted interventions including animal-assisted therapies, and animal-assisted activities. The complex challenges involved in designing studies to address all three perspectives and examples of research design elements that can be used to alleviate issues raised in each type of study are provided. Major considerations focused on such topics as construct definitions (e.g., pet ownership), descriptions of activities (e.g., AAI activities), participant characteristics, trajectory of change, and durations of effects and interventions.
Conclusion: We suggest emerging methodologies, including ecological momentary assessment, and the use of new technologies such as geographic information system and movement tracking devices, that may be helpful for answering important questions from all three perspectives about the relationship of HAI to health outcomes for older adults.