One of the other primary factors associated with high psychological distress was age. Those in the 16-24 year age category reported the highest levels of high psychological distress and analysis indicated that although prevalence and comparative risks of high psychological distress reduced from age 24 onwards, these reduced risks only became reliably statistically significant from age 45 onwards, and high psychological distress was certainly still a risk to those in the 35-44 year age category. This is interesting because in the general population psychological distress is generally found to peak around middle age (40s-50s). The study findings would suggest that younger people were particularly vulnerable and were coping less well with the consequences of EI. The reasons for this finding are not known, however, research literature suggests that younger people form stronger emotional attachments to animals [28] , and they are also less likely to be resilient or practised, generally, when it comes to coping with adversity. From the general perspective of mental and physical health of younger people, it is interesting to consider the longer term consequences and potential burden of disease if these effects are enduring.