Association of hoarding case identification and animal protection programs to socioeconomic indicators in a major metropolitan area of Brazil

The present study assessed the identification of animal and object hoarding disorder cases by contact and mapping and the presence of animal protection programs in association with seven social-economic indicators of the metropolitan area of the ninth-biggest metropolitan area of Brazil. City Secretaries of Health and Environment provided demographic information and responded to a questionnaire. Overall, a very high level of hoarding case identification per municipality was associated with a higher Human Development Index, population, density, and income and related to distance from Curitiba, the capital of Parana State. Low and very low levels of hoarding case identification were related to greater area, higher Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), inequality, illiteracy, and rural areas. Very high identification level of animal protection programs was also associated with higher HDI, density and population, urban area, and high income, and geographical area. Similarly, low and very low levels of animal protection programs identification were major explained by low income, illiteracy, and distance related to higher population, urbanization, and higher HDI. In summary, better identification of hoarding cases and animal protection programs have shown an association with better socioeconomic indicators and higher population, density, and urban area. Whether municipalities with better human socioeconomic indicators may stimulate society's demands for identification of cases of individuals with hoarding disorder and animal programs should be further established. Regardless, animal health and welfare have been associated with improving human quality of life in a major Brazilian metropolitan area.