title: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to pet contact by immunocompromised children with cancer and immunocompetent children with diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare knowledge, attitudes, and risks related to pet contact in households with and without immunocompromised children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was distributed to parents of children diagnosed with cancer (immunocompromised; n=80) or diabetes (immunocompetent; n=251) receiving care at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Information was collected on knowledge of pets as sources of disease, concerns regarding pet-derived pathogens, and pet ownership practices. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire was completed by 65% (214 of 331) of the individuals to whom it was given. Pet ownership was common; 45% of respondents had a household pet when their child was diagnosed, and many (households with a child with diabetes, 49%; households with a child with cancer, 20%) acquired a new pet after diagnosis. Most households that obtained a new pet had acquired a pet considered high risk for infectious disease based on species/age (diabetes, 73%; cancer, 77%). Parents of children with cancer were more likely than parents of children with diabetes to recall being asked by a physician/staff member if they owned a pet (OR, 5.9) or to recall receiving zoonotic disease information (OR, 5.3), yet these interactions were reported uncommonly (diabetes, ≤13%; cancer, ≤48%). Greater knowledge of pet-associated pathogens was associated with recalled receipt of previous education on this topic (OR, 3.9). Pet exposure outside the home was reported frequently for children in non-pet-owning households (diabetes, 48%; cancer, 25%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved zoonotic disease education is needed for pet-owning and non-pet-owning households with immunocompromised children, with ongoing provision of information while the children are at increased risk of disease. Additional efforts from pediatric and veterinary healthcare professionals are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Center for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: Jason.Stull@cvm.osu.edu.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Stull
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brophy
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sargeant
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Center for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Peregrine
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Margaret L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Raveena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramphal
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lindy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Center for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Weese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D057805:Pets; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission