Impact of pet ownership on elderly Australians' use of medical services: An analysis using Medicare data

Objectives: To determine whether pet ownership by elderly people is associated with lower use of health services. Design: Survey of physical and mental health, and retrospective 12-month review of Medicare records of the number of general practitioner and specialist services. Participants and Setting: Elderly people living in Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) and Queanbeyan (New South Wales), surveyed in 1994 for the second stage of a larger longitudinal study. Results: Elderly pet owners did not differ from non-owners on any of the physical or mental health measures or in use of health services. Conclusion: Given the high use of health services by older people, our findings suggest that the claim that pet ownership leads to savings in health services should be viewed with caution.