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Psych Journal Entry 2 David
Source:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa011&articleID=B7713CCF-E7F2-99DF-36298EB8CAD42382&pageNumber=1&catID=9
Title: Fact or Fiction?: Pets Protect Children Against Allergies
1) What new information did you learn? I learned that there is a possibility that pets can prevent children from developing allergies because they carry lots of endotoxin which reduce the the release of cytokines, chemicals associated with allergic reactions. However data varies so that a certain conclusion cannot be reached.
2) What is your opinion of the research processes? Is it ethical or exploitive? What are weaknesses and biases to the research? I believe it is an ethical research process. They used a survey method in which they asked families about their pet ownership and allergic profiles. However the weaknesses in the research are that it could not be the fact that the child owns a dog that protects him/her from allergies, but from the fact that they must go out to walk the dog and are exposed to certain vitamins or bacteria that prevent allergies. Also data from different countries differ. For example in countries like the U.S. and Australia with lots of cats, the cats seem to have a protective effect. However in countries with few cats, they seem to have a reverse effect by increasing the risk of allergic sensitization.
3) What further research could be conducted in this area? A randomized distribution of cats, and collecting data. Or by testing if endotoxin or other vitamins people would be exposed to as a result of a pet have a protective effect.
4)How does this information relate to you? I use to have a cat back in the states and had no allergic reactions to anything. However after 4 years here in Shanghai without a pet I have developed allergies. Perhaps this is just a coincidence.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa011&articleID=B7713CCF-E7F2-99DF-36298EB8CAD42382&pageNumber=1&catID=9
Title: Fact or Fiction?: Pets Protect Children Against Allergies
1) What new information did you learn? I learned that there is a possibility that pets can prevent children from developing allergies because they carry lots of endotoxin which reduce the the release of cytokines, chemicals associated with allergic reactions. However data varies so that a certain conclusion cannot be reached.
2) What is your opinion of the research processes? Is it ethical or exploitive? What are weaknesses and biases to the research? I believe it is an ethical research process. They used a survey method in which they asked families about their pet ownership and allergic profiles. However the weaknesses in the research are that it could not be the fact that the child owns a dog that protects him/her from allergies, but from the fact that they must go out to walk the dog and are exposed to certain vitamins or bacteria that prevent allergies. Also data from different countries differ. For example in countries like the U.S. and Australia with lots of cats, the cats seem to have a protective effect. However in countries with few cats, they seem to have a reverse effect by increasing the risk of allergic sensitization.
3) What further research could be conducted in this area? A randomized distribution of cats, and collecting data. Or by testing if endotoxin or other vitamins people would be exposed to as a result of a pet have a protective effect.
4)How does this information relate to you? I use to have a cat back in the states and had no allergic reactions to anything. However after 4 years here in Shanghai without a pet I have developed allergies. Perhaps this is just a coincidence.
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, Sep 17 2007, 2:16 AM EDT
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