Role of raising domestic animals in decreasing the risk of dementia occurrence in Chinese older adults: Evidence of a 10-year prospective cohort study

Abstract

This study explored the causal relationship between raising domestic animals and the risk of dementia occurrence. A 10-year cohort study was carried out drawing the data from Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) 2008-2018. The Cox regression model was applied to analyze the association between raising domestic animals and the risk of developing dementia. Meanwhile, a subgroup analysis stratified by gender and exercise was performed. Participants were 8 170 older adults in China. The prevalence of raising domestic animals frequently was 24.8%. Older people who raised domestic animals frequently had a decreased risk of developing dementia by 21% than those who did not raise animals. The benefit of raising domestic animals frequently in decreasing the development of dementia was only in female non-exercise older adults. These findings strengthened the role of raising domestic animals in prevention of dementia risk occurrence among older Chinese adults.

Keywords: China; Cohort study; Dementia; Domestic animals; Older adults.