Study Description
The present study seeks to study the relationship between owning a dog and physical activity. It has been hypothesized that owning a dog leads to significantly more physical activity and better cardiovascular health than owning cats. The participants refer to the respondents or individuals who would be included as a sample within the study.
Therefore, to control for the influence of the duration of pet ownership, it was ensured that all dog and cat owners had owned their pets for between 1 and 3 years. One hundred participants (n=100) were selected from the Southern New Hampshire University PSY 510 and PSY 520 classes. The recruitment method for the study was convenience sampling, in which participants were chosen randomly based on their accessibility and willingness to participate from a larger population.
Materials
Materials included the instruments required to assess the duration of pet ownership, such as surveys and structured interviews. Additionally, tools for assessing the physical activity and cardiovascular health of individuals, such as fitness trackers and other medical equipment, were also required. The survey and interview tools included inquiries about the length of pet ownership (such as how long the participant has owned their pet). It also included other pertinent data relevant to the research question, such as the frequency with which the participant interacts with their pet and the amount of time they spend exercising with it.
Participants can easily understand and complete these instruments thanks to their user-friendly design. Additionally, this study considered the possibility that participants in surveys and interviews might provide different kinds of responses, so it is crucial to consider how the instruments are phrased and organized.
The study’s procedure would involve evaluating the physical health of dog and cat owners by having them wear fitness trackers for one week. The data collected would be in terms of physical activity, such as step count and calories burned, as well as cardiovascular health, including heart rate per minute and blood oxygen level. The participant’s physical activity and cardiovascular health were objectively measured. These resources were suitable for the population under investigation and simple for participants. It was crucial to use these tools correctly and effectively, as well as to interpret the outcomes they produce.
It was vital to consider the participants themselves when developing the materials. Ensuring that materials are accessible to participants with disabilities and culturally and linguistically appropriate was also part of this process. Furthermore, it was crucial to ensure that the participants were aware of the study’s objectives, how the data would be used, and how their privacy and confidentiality would be protected.
This data would be analyzed to compare the physical activity and cardiovascular health of pet owners through statistical analysis of correlation, where physical health would be correlated with pet ownership. Additionally, an independent samples t-test helps identify whether the differences are statistically significant. The analysis would be conducted by statistical software such as SPSS.
Methodological Procedures
To prepare the raw data, surveys were distributed online to college students. The survey inquired about the respondent’s pet ownership status, for instance, whether they owned a dog, a cat, or neither, and their physical activity levels over the past week. The physical activity level will be measured using a 7-point scale, with 1 indicating no physical activity and 7 indicating very active. The data will then be entered into a spreadsheet for analysis.
Inferential statistics were then used to test the hypothesis. First, a linear regression was used to examine the association between dog ownership and physical activity. Finally, a mediation analysis will be employed to investigate the mechanism by which dog ownership affects cardiovascular health.
Results
Raw Data
The data cleaning and preparation process involves several steps and is used to refine the raw data for dog ownership and cardiovascular health research, enabling the performance of statistical analysis. Verification is the first step, which involves examining the data for consistency, accuracy, and completeness. It was crucial to ensure that all the data was entered accurately and that there were no mistakes or unusual data points. This aspect is significant because accurate and complete data is essential when working with medical data.
Following data verification, the data must then be coded in a way that makes sense for the analysis. In the case of pet ownership and cardiovascular health, this may involve the creation of new variables, such as dog ownership, age, and cardiovascular health status. Other options include classifying responses, creating new variables, or recoding existing variables to render them more relevant.
The information is then entered into a database or spreadsheet. To connect each respondent’s responses to their demographic data, a unique identifier, such as a participant number, is assigned to each response. A second look at the data is necessary to look for any mistakes or missing values.
The next step is to clean the data by addressing any issues, such as errors, outliers, and missing data. This step entails eliminating outliers and dropping or imputing the missing data. Finally, the information is organized in a way that makes it easy to visualize and analyze. This step may involve classifying the respondents’ responses using a spreadsheet or other software, such as their dog ownership status and cardiovascular health status.
Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive statistics provided helpful information to understand the data’s central tendency and dispersion. The mean physical activity level for each pet ownership group will be calculated using descriptive statistics, making it the most informative in answering the research question. Means and standard deviations enable a comparison of the physical activity levels among the three groups.
The t-test, used to compare the groups on physical activity measures, is also incredibly useful as it will allow any differences between the groups to be established as statistically significant. Akoglu (2018) suggests that correlation analysis is also valuable. These three statistical techniques can be effectively used to answer the research question.
Table 1: Descriptive Statistics For The Key Variables
Table 2: Respondent’s Pet Ownership Status
Statistical Test Selected
The data collected for this study will be entered into a spreadsheet for analysis and interpretation. Descriptive statistics will be used for data analysis and examination of the association between pet ownership and physical activity. First, the mean physical activity level will be calculated for each group (dog owners, cat owners, and non-pet owners), as shown in Table 3. Next, a correlation analysis will be conducted to investigate the relationship between pet ownership and physical activity level, aiming to determine if a statistically significant association exists between these two variables. The independent samples t-test is an inferential statistical test used to determine if there are significant differences between two independent samples, as shown in Table 4.
All the data analyses were conducted using the statistical software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). The software offers a range of statistical techniques, including descriptive and summary statistics, as well as more complex inferential methods such as correlation analysis and independent samples t-tests (Abbasnasab Sardareh et al., 2021). The data is visualized through graphs and charts. Şahin & Aybek (2019) suggest that the software provides a user-friendly environment that simplifies data entry and analysis. These features make it a valuable tool for data analysis.
With the help of SPSS, the data collected for this study will be analyzed accurately and quickly. The results of the analyses will be used to identify factors that could influence the relationship between these two variables. These findings will then inform recommendations for promoting physical activity among pet owners and improving the overall health of individuals who own pets.
Correlation analysis is a statistical technique used to measure the strength of linear relationships between two variables. According to Schober et al. (2018), the strength of the relationship is measured using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, which ranges from -1 to +1. Pearson’s correlation coefficient is a mathematical tool used to measure the linear relationship between two variables. Results from a correlation analysis may indicate whether pet ownership and physical activity are associated with improved cardiovascular health and whether there is a stronger association between one or the other variable.
Research Results
One hundred participants, who had owned their pets for one to three years, made up the sample size (n=100). PSY 510 and PSY 520 students from Southern New Hampshire University were chosen as participants. Self-reported questionnaires and a 7-point scale, with 1 denoting no physical activity and seven denoting intense physical activity, were used to measure physical activity. Cardiovascular well-being was evaluated using various medical tools, including fitness trackers that monitor heart rate, blood oxygen levels, steps taken, and calories burned.
The findings of this study suggest that college students who own dogs are more physically active and have better cardiovascular health. According to the research, owning a dog could be a valuable intervention to boost physical activity levels and enhance cardiovascular health (Maugeri et al., 2019). These findings suggest that adopting a dog may be a beneficial choice for college students seeking to increase their physical activity and enhance their cardiovascular health.
The study’s main finding was that having a dog improves cardiovascular health in people at risk for or who already have heart problems. If the study’s findings show that owning a dog enhances cardiovascular health, advocates may promote dog ownership as a sensible supplement to the participants’ treatment plans. This study reveals that dog owners tend to have better cardiovascular health and exercise more frequently than non-dog owners. The chi-square test result shows the statistical significance between the two variables if the p-value is less than or equal to 0.05. The study might inspire individuals with various health issues to increase their physical activity and/or consider getting a dog.
Thus, this research demonstrates that owning a dog is associated with increased physical activity and improved cardiovascular health among college students. Owning a dog may be a potential intervention to increase college students’ physical activity levels (Krittanawong et al., 2020). Therefore, further research is needed to verify these results and explore the potential mechanisms by which pet ownership promotes physical activity and cardiovascular health.
Table 3: T-test comparing the Ages of Dog owners and non-pet owners
One-Sample Statistics
One-Sample Test
Table 4: The association between dog ownership and physical activity
Table 5: Pet ownership status
Discussion
Correlation of Results to the Research Hypothesis
A total of 100 participants in this study were drawn from Southern New Hampshire University’s PSY 510 and PSY 520 courses. All participants had pets; 40% had dogs, 40% had cats, and 20% did not have any animals, as shown in Table 5. The participants ranged in age from 25 to 54 and had owned their animals for one to three years.
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between owning a dog as a pet, engaging in physical activity, and maintaining good cardiovascular health. Participants were asked to wear fitness trackers for a week to gauge their level of physical activity. The information gathered was examined for physical activity.
A person’s health and life expectancy depend on the condition of the heart, a vital organ in the body. Heart disease can be prevented by staying active, eating a nutritious diet, walking outdoors, getting adequate sleep, and quitting unhealthy habits. However, having a pet significantly impacts heart health and is another important aspect of cardiac care.
Keeping a pet is an excellent way to maintain good heart health. Owning a dog has been linked to a lower cardiovascular risk and is frequently associated with decreased blood pressure, an improved lipid profile, and reduced sympathetic responses to stress (Maugeri et al., 2019). There are conflicting findings in the evidence regarding the connection between dog ownership and mortality. Although the relationship between dog ownership and mortality has been studied, research has shown an improvement in survival when a dog is part of the household. Therefore, comparing pet owners to non-owners, the data analysis showed that dog owners.
Previous Literature
Since the American Heart Association recommends that people exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, five days a week, the increase in exercise or physical activity is the most likely explanation for the low prevalence of high blood pressure among pet owners. With pets around, much physical work was involved, like bathing, feeding, walking the animals, and cleaning their cages and aquariums (Mein & Grant, 2018). Regular exercise helps a pet owner’s heart function more effectively and pump blood throughout the body. A healthy heart pumps blood more efficiently, thereby lessening the strain on the arteries and lowering blood pressure (Mubanga et al., 2017). It is believed that having pets indirectly motivates pet owners to exercise more, thereby improving their cardiovascular health.
Maugeri et al. (2019) collected participant data, including data analysis, and conducted face-to-face comprehensive health interviews. Physical activity was assessed using the extended version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Dietary data were collected using a 24-hour recall, and food and nutrient intakes were assessed using NutriDan software.
Trained nurses performed physical examinations and anthropometric measurements. All these mechanisms of measures have been used in past studies, adding to the reliability of the study. As a result of the study, Maugeri et al. (2019) determined that pet owners, specifically dog owners, were more likely to report physical activity, a healthy diet, and ideal blood glucose levels, as well as smoking at a low level, which resulted in a higher CVH score than non-pet owners.
In addition, as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES II), Qureshi et al. (2021) surveyed 14,407 individuals, concentrating on 2,435 individuals who had previously or currently owned cats as pets. After controlling for any confounding factors, Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to assess the relative risks (RR) of all deaths for groups of participants who had cats or dogs. Intriguingly, the primary ICD-9-CM codes from death certificates were used to identify events in this study, which raises questions regarding the research’s validity and reliability.
According to Qureshi et al. (2021), hospital discharge or death certificate diagnoses are sufficiently accurate to be employed in their analysis, and the validity of ICD-CM diagnoses did not vary across pet ownership strata. The research conducted by Qureshi et al. (2021) does not support my hypothesis that dogs have a greater effect on cardiovascular health than cats do in terms of physical activity. The study by Qureshi et al. (2021) differs from others described in the report.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that owning a dog lowers blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association (2019), dog owners are 54% more likely to meet the recommended levels of physical activity than the average person without a pet. As a result, pets encourage their owners to be more physically active, which in turn lowers the likelihood of developing hypertension. Maugeri et al. (2019) reported that blood pressure in hypertensive individuals with dogs returned to normal in many cases without the use of antihypertensive medications. Therefore, dog owners are encouraged to engage in more outdoor activities to promote physical activity and lower blood pressure.
Being a dog owner is an excellent way to enhance mental health, as poor mental health is a significant risk factor for heart attacks. The hormones endorphins, oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, known as natural antidepressants, rise when people communicate with animals, and the stress hormone cortisol is also reduced. Additionally, having a pet requires constant attention, which diverts attention from issues and lonely thoughts and prevents depression-inducing emotions like hopelessness and indifference.
As a result, having pets makes people’s lives happier, more satisfying, and prosperous, with reduced stress. Additionally, having a pet gives a person with a mental illness a strong sense of ontological stability, dramatically speeding up the progression of diseases, including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Having a dog is frequently associated with improved mental health, which is crucial for cardiac treatment and overall well-being.
Over time, increased physical activity is associated with a reduced incidence of health issues. Owning a dog can significantly improve a person’s physical health because dogs require daily exercise, such as walking. Health professionals recommend that moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes daily is necessary to prevent various chronic diseases, including heart disease and high blood pressure (Mein & Grant, 2018).
People who own dogs are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than non-dog owners, as most dogs spend at least ten minutes a day walking and playing with their owners. A dog can give people the inspiration they need to go for a walk if they are too lazy to go to the gym or find it challenging to keep to a demanding fitness schedule. The best part is that dog owners do not consider walking a workout because they know that their pets require daily walks for mental and physical stimulation.
Dog ownership, in particular, is associated with higher levels of physical activity, social support, and improved recovery from catastrophic cardiovascular events. Pet ownership is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in the general US population, according to a theory proposed by Krittanawong et al. (2020). The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, like dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, is inversely correlated with dog ownership in those without CVD. Ownership of a dog is linked to a higher survival rate in people with coronary artery disease.
Lastly, having a pet can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which is also good for the heart. Being in charge of feeding your pet encourages you to develop a regular eating schedule for yourself, which can help prevent insulin resistance and excessive triglyceride levels. According to Maugeri et al. (2019), altering one’s diet and increasing physical activity can lead to weight loss, which is one of the most effective strategies for controlling cholesterol levels. Dog owners then alter their diets in favor of healthy options, whether consciously or unconsciously, which benefits them on both physical and mental levels. Therefore, having pets improves nutrition and lowers triglyceride and cholesterol levels, improving heart health.
Moreover, numerous studies support the notion that owning a pet can be an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health. The advantages of owning a pet exceed the potential added responsibilities by a wide margin. Having a pet may lower one’s risk of dying from any cause, but heart disease is hazardous.
Additionally, some research findings suggest that owning a pet may reduce the risk of developing hypertension and improve blood pressure control in individuals who already have the condition. Moreover, evidence indicates that owning a pet may improve a patient’s prognosis following a myocardial infarction or stroke. Ownership of pets is one of the most significant cardioprotective methods because it reduces sympathetic nervous system activity.
Strengths and Limitations
The research’s advantages include a diverse sample of 100 participants and a sizable sample size drawn from university classes. The study’s use of wearable fitness monitors, electrocardiogram screenings, and other objective measures of cardiovascular health lends credibility to the findings. A meaningful comparison of the effects of pet ownership on cardiovascular health is also made possible by using a control group of non-pet owners.
One of the study’s limitations is that it only focused on dog ownership and did not consider other types of pets or individuals without pets. Additionally, other potential confounding variables, such as diet and smoking status, which may also impact cardiovascular health, were not considered in the study. Further, because participants in the study were only followed for two years, the longer-term effects might differ. Another drawback is that the sample may not accurately represent the general population, as it was drawn from university classes. Furthermore, because the sample is so small, the findings may not apply to a larger population.
Inappropriate Tests
The data collected in the study were mainly nominal. To analyze this data, we used descriptive statistics. An alternative test that could have been used is multiple linear regression.
Multiple linear regression is a powerful tool that allows us to examine the relationship between multiple independent variables and a single dependent variable. However, it was not as suitable for analyzing the data in this study because it is primarily used for continuous variables, whereas our data were mainly ordinal. Overall, the data analysis methods employed in this study were suitable for the data collected; however, alternative tests could have been used to provide further insights.
Study Standards
The data analysis methods proposed in this study adhere to the ethical guidelines established by the APA. The data will be collected in a systematic and unbiased manner and analyzed using established methods that are reproducible. In addition, the results of the analysis will be reported clearly and concisely, accurately reflecting the data.
Furthermore, the data analysis plan will adhere to the APA’s 2010 ethical guidelines for research involving human participants, protecting the rights and welfare of participants while respecting their privacy and confidentiality (Domenech Rodríguez et al., 2020). Furthermore, the data will be collected from reliable sources, and the accuracy of the methods and results of the analysis will be evaluated through cross-checking with other datasets, professional consultation, and peer reviews. Such an evaluation would ensure that the analysis is conducted in an ethically sound manner.
The data used for statistical analysis in psychological research are employed to ensure that statistical analyses are conducted accurately, reliably, and validly. Citations and references to external sources will be provided for all claims, facts, and figures to ensure the validity of the results and minimize any bias or errors in the data analysis. Any discrepancies or limitations in the data will be taken into account, and the analysis results will be reported objectively, without any attempt to misrepresent or exaggerate the findings. Finally, any conclusions drawn from the data will be presented in an accessible and understandable format.
Future Research
The analysis of specific dog breeds that may have the most significant effects on cardiovascular health is an area that requires further study, according to the findings of the hypothesis testing. This research only examined overall dog ownership, but different dog breeds may possess traits that make them more effective at promoting cardiovascular health and physical activity. Future studies could investigate the most effective dog breeds and compare their findings with those from this study. Additionally, future studies could investigate the specific physiological and psychological processes, such as hormone release or the effects of social support, in greater detail.
References
Abbasnasab Sardareh, S., Brown, G. T., & Denny, P. (2021). Comparing four contemporary statistical software tools for Introductory Data Science and Statistics in the Social Sciences. Teaching Statistics, 43(S1). Web.
Akoglu, H. (2018). User’s Guide to Correlation Coefficients. Turkish Journal of Emergency Medicine, 18(3), 91–93. Web.
Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Gallardo, M. E., Capielo Rosario, C., Delgado-Romero, E. A., & Field, L. D. (2020). Ethical guidelines of the National Latinx Psychological Association: Background. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 8(2), 95–100.
Krittanawong, C., Kumar, A., Wang, Z., Jneid, H., Virani, S. S., & Levine, G. N. (2020). Pet ownership and Cardiovascular Health in the US general population. The American Journal of Cardiology, 125(8), 1158–1161. Web.
Maugeri, A., Medina-Inojosa, J. R., Kunzova, S., Barchitta, M., Agodi, A., Vinciguerra, M., & Lopez-Jimenez, F. (2019). Dog ownership and Cardiovascular Health: Results from the kardiovize 2030 project. Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, 3(3), 268–275. Web.
Mein, G., & Grant, R. (2018). A cross-sectional exploratory analysis between pet ownership, sleep, exercise, health and neighbourhood perceptions: The Whitehall II Cohort Study. BMC Geriatrics, 18(1). Web.
Mubanga, M., Byberg, L., Nowak, C., Egenvall, A., Magnusson, P. K., Ingelsson, E., & Fall, T. (2017). Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease AND DEATH – a nationwide cohort study. Scientific Reports, 7(1). Web.
Qureshi, A. I., Memon, M. Z., Vazquez, G., & Suri, M. F. (2009). Cat ownership and the Risk of Fatal Cardiovascular Diseases. Results from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study Mortality Follow-up Study. Journal of vascular and interventional neurology, 2(1), 132–135.
Şahin, M., & Aybek, E. (2019). Jamovi: An easy to use statistical software for the social scientists. International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 670–692. Web.
Schober, P., Boer, C., & Schwarte, L. A. (2018). Correlation coefficients. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 126(5), 1763–1768. Web.