Effects of pet ownership on the mental health of veterinary medical students

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement on the course DVT55204 – Research Project.

Abstract: Veterinary work field is considered the highest professions to commit suicide. The study sought to explore the potential impacts of owning pets on the mental health and well-being of veterinary medical students in Malaysia, considering the unique nature of their academic and professional experiences. A cross-sectional study was conducted in one of the veterinary schools in Malaysia (FPV, UMK). The study was conducted through self-administered online questionnaire that was provided for 14 days (2 weeks). A total of eighty-two (82) respondents were recorded from first year (DVM 1) until year 5 (DVM 5) students of FPV. Data was compiled and analyzed by using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for the relationship between pet ownership that may relate to human-animal attachments and depression levels. The study's findings lead to the conclusion that no statistically significant relationship exists between the variables under investigation, namely the ownership of pets (r=-0.068, p=0.541) the absence thereof among students (r=0.024, p=0.970). This indicates that, based on the collected data and analytical assessments, there is insufficient evidence to assert a meaningful association between pet ownership and the variable of interest within the studied student population.
Keyword: Veterinary, Mental health, Depression, Human-animal bond, Students, Malaysia