RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Pets' Impact on Your Patients' Health: Leveraging Benefits and Mitigating Risk
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 526
OP 534
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2015.04.140254
VO 28
IS 4
A1 Kate Hodgson
A1 Luisa Barton
A1 Marcia Darling
A1 Viola Antao
A1 Florence A. Kim
A1 Alan Monavvari
YR 2015
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/28/4/526.abstract
AB Over two thirds of Americans live with pets and consider them important members of the family. Pets benefit human health (zooeyia) in 4 ways: as builders of social capital, as agents of harm reduction, as motivators for healthy behavior change, and as potential participants in treatment plans. Conversely, pets can present risks to their owners. They are potential sources of zoonotic disease and injury. Pets can also challenge a family's prioritization of financial and social resources. To activate the benefits of zooeyia and appropriately calibrate and mitigate zoonotic risk, physicians first need to know about the pets in their patients' families. Asking about pets is a simple and feasible approach to assess patients' environmental history and social capital. Asking about pets is a nonthreatening way to build rapport and demonstrates an interest in the whole family, which can improve the physician–patient therapeutic alliance. Physicians can use an interprofessional, collaborative approach with veterinarians to address zoonotic health risks and leverage zooeyia.