Poster 11

Being diagnosed with AIDS (autoimmune deficiency syndrome) disabilities may be compounded by other financial and social hardships, leading to being precarious in continuing healthful functioning. Pets Are Wonderful Support in San Francisco (PAWS) coordinates volunteer support for low-income clients with AIDS (and individuals with other disabling illnesses) to assist them in keeping a pet and with other challenges. For PAWS assistance with pets, a confirmed AIDS (or other disability) diagnosis and income level below the poverty line are both required. We investigated the self-reported medical and psychosocial functioning of people with AIDS or disabling HIV who have pets, both with and without assistance from PAWS, as well as non-pet owners with AIDS. The study included five groups of people with AIDS or disabling HIV: 1) 64 participants with pets---with PAWS support; 2) 18 participants with pets---without PAWS support; 3) 64 participants without pets; 4) 17 participants with PAWS and alternative support from friends or family; 5) 5 participants with alternative support only. Most participants were men living alone. Interviewers were specially trained to conduct telephone interviews (August 2006-July 2007). The incidence of petkeeping appeared low among people with AIDS lacking support from PAWS. PAWS clients rated their social lives as more socially satisfying than other participants (p<.01). They were more comfortable confiding in another person than those without pets (p<.025). Living below the poverty line, PAWS clients managed living with their pets and functioned socially at a level at least equivalent to, or even exceeding, the other groups. Support from pets and PAWS effectively provides comfort and compensatory assistance for clients with the deficits they face financially. PAWS clients manage to continue functioning at a level at least equal to others who are less disadvantaged.