A Case-Control Study to Evaluate the Impact of Pet Cat or Dog Ownership on Medical Students' Psychosocial Wellbeing

Aim This study aims to evaluate the impact of pet dog or cat ownership on medical students’ stress response and academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method This is a prospective case-control study. A validated questionnaire, COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ), was distributed to all final year medical students studying at University of Hong Kong in July 2021. Stress responses and academic performance between pet and non-pet owners were compared. Results A total of 110 medical students participated in the study, with non-pet owners accounting for 81 students (control group), and 29 students being pet-owners (case group). The baseline demographic characteristics were comparable between both groups. Non-pet owners demonstrated higher levels of stress compared to pet-owners, with 49.4% perceiving academic study experiencing being “very” or “extremely” stressful compared to 24.1% seen in pet owners (p = 0.0278). 13 (11.8%) students failed in the final examination in the medical school requiring supplementary examination. Of which, 1 (7.7%) were pet-owner while 12 (92.3%) were non-pet owner. However, statistically significant correlation cannot be demonstrated (p = 0.1778). Conclusions Pet ownership is associated with reduced stress levels among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic.