Pet ownership among the brazilian population, sociodemographic profile, andDepression:

2019 national health survey

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35699/2316-9389.2026.57510

Keywords:

Pets, Depression, Health Surveys, Public Health, Cross-Sectional Studies, Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: to identify the socioeconomic profile of pet owners in the Brazilian adult population and
to analyze whether pet ownership is associated with a medical diagnosis of depression. Method:
cross-sectional study using data from the 2019 National Health Survey. The outcome variable was
ownership of companion dogs or cats. The primary explanatory variable was a medical diagnosis
of depression. The adjustment variables were sex, age group, race/ethnicity, income, place of
residence, educational level, and marital status. To assess the association, the prevalence ratio (PR)
was used, obtained via Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: Of the 88,531 individuals
analyzed, 57.99% (95% CI 57.35–58.62%) owned dogs or cats. A medical diagnosis of depression
was reported by 10.24% (95% CI 9.86–10.63%). Lower prevalence of pet ownership were
observed among individuals aged 60 years or older (51.08%, 95% CI 49.90–52.26%), those who
self-identified as Black (54.16%, 95% CI 52.52–55.79%), with an income above three minimum
wages (50.47%, 95% CI 48.60–52.34%), and among those who reported having completed higher
education (52.44%, 95% CI 50.87–54.01%). In contrast, higher prevalence were observed among
rural residents (74.32%, 95% CI 73.05–75.55%), single or separated individuals (59.22%, 95% CI
58.27–60.17%), and among those who reported a medical diagnosis of depression (60.73%, 95% CI
58.60–62.82%), even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01–1.11).
Conclusion: Pet ownership in Brazil is associated with sociodemographic factors and mental health
and may complement the treatment of depression. Keywords: Pets; Depression; Epidemiological
Surveys; Public Health; Cross-sectional Studies; Brazil.

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Additional Files

Published

2026-08-06

Issue

Vol. 30 (2026)

Section

Research

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Copyright (c) 2026 REME-Revista Mineira de Enfermagem

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How to Cite

1.
Herculano de Morais Évelin A, Saar Gomes C, Abras dos Santos SL, Bottoni de Souza J, Bicas Buback J, Oliveira Baldi FVS, et al. Pet ownership among the brazilian population, sociodemographic profile, andDepression:: 2019 national health survey. REME Rev Min Enferm. [Internet]. 2026 Aug. 6 [cited 2026 Sep. 8];30. Available from: https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/reme/article/view/57510