Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study
BackgroundThe associations of only-child status and household pet ownership with the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are inconclusive, and the joint effects of only-child status and household pet ownership on ADHD have not been thoroughly investigated.MethodsA population-base...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450216/full |
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| author | Yuying Zhang Shuangyan Qiu Vivian Yawei Guo Weiqing Chen Xiaomei Han Weikang Yang |
| author_facet | Yuying Zhang Shuangyan Qiu Vivian Yawei Guo Weiqing Chen Xiaomei Han Weikang Yang |
| author_sort | Yuying Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe associations of only-child status and household pet ownership with the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are inconclusive, and the joint effects of only-child status and household pet ownership on ADHD have not been thoroughly investigated.MethodsA population-based study was conducted in 2021 involving preschool children aged 3–6 years attending kindergartens in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. Parents were invited to complete questionnaires providing information on socio-demographic and family-environmental factors. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the 26-item Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale as reported by parents.ResultsThis study included 63,282 children (mean age: 4.86 ± 0.85 years, 53.6% boys), representing 72.6% of all preschool children in this district in 2021. Among them, 34.4% were only-child and 9.6% were identified as having ADHD. Only-child status was associated with an increased risk of ADHD [adjusted odds ratio: 1.30 (95%CI: 1.23–1.38). Compared to children without a pet (cats or dogs) at ages 0–3 years, pet ownership at ages only 0–1 year, only 1–3 years, and both ages were associated with increased odds of ADHD: 1.59 (1.30–1.95), 1.58 (1.28–1.93), and 1.66 (1.42–1.92), respectively, after controlling for potential confounders. A significant interaction between pet ownership at only 1–3 years and only-child status was observed (adjusted P for interaction = 0.028). Similar findings were observed when the analyses were performed separately for boys and girls.ConclusionBoth only-child status and household pet ownership are associated with an increased risk of ADHD; however, the detrimental effect of pet ownership appears to be mitigated among only children when pet exposure occurs at ages 1–3 years, providing new insight into reducing family-related risk factors of ADHD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-81d2b9911259418487efa75bfb9e3395 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-81d2b9911259418487efa75bfb9e33952025-02-11T11:05:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-02-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.14502161450216Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based studyYuying Zhang0Shuangyan Qiu1Vivian Yawei Guo2Weiqing Chen3Xiaomei Han4Weikang Yang5Department of Child Healthcare, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Child Healthcare, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Child Healthcare, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Child Healthcare, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaBackgroundThe associations of only-child status and household pet ownership with the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are inconclusive, and the joint effects of only-child status and household pet ownership on ADHD have not been thoroughly investigated.MethodsA population-based study was conducted in 2021 involving preschool children aged 3–6 years attending kindergartens in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. Parents were invited to complete questionnaires providing information on socio-demographic and family-environmental factors. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the 26-item Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale as reported by parents.ResultsThis study included 63,282 children (mean age: 4.86 ± 0.85 years, 53.6% boys), representing 72.6% of all preschool children in this district in 2021. Among them, 34.4% were only-child and 9.6% were identified as having ADHD. Only-child status was associated with an increased risk of ADHD [adjusted odds ratio: 1.30 (95%CI: 1.23–1.38). Compared to children without a pet (cats or dogs) at ages 0–3 years, pet ownership at ages only 0–1 year, only 1–3 years, and both ages were associated with increased odds of ADHD: 1.59 (1.30–1.95), 1.58 (1.28–1.93), and 1.66 (1.42–1.92), respectively, after controlling for potential confounders. A significant interaction between pet ownership at only 1–3 years and only-child status was observed (adjusted P for interaction = 0.028). Similar findings were observed when the analyses were performed separately for boys and girls.ConclusionBoth only-child status and household pet ownership are associated with an increased risk of ADHD; however, the detrimental effect of pet ownership appears to be mitigated among only children when pet exposure occurs at ages 1–3 years, providing new insight into reducing family-related risk factors of ADHD.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450216/fullattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)preschool childrenonly-child statuspet ownershipjoint effect |
| spellingShingle | Yuying Zhang Shuangyan Qiu Vivian Yawei Guo Weiqing Chen Xiaomei Han Weikang Yang Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study Frontiers in Public Health attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) preschool children only-child status pet ownership joint effect |
| title | Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study |
| title_full | Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study |
| title_fullStr | Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study |
| title_short | Association of only-child status and household pet ownership with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among Chinese preschool children: a population-based study |
| title_sort | association of only child status and household pet ownership with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among chinese preschool children a population based study |
| topic | attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) preschool children only-child status pet ownership joint effect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450216/full |
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