Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Patients in the Department of Long-Term Care: A Pilot Study.
Kristýna MachováRadka ProcházkováPetra EretováIvona SvobodováIlja KotíkPublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2019)
Long-term hospital stays might have a negative psychosocial impact on our patients. One way to positively activate hospitalized patients is to introduce animal-assisted therapy (AAT). A total of 72 individuals participated in this research. The experimental group comprised 33 patients (8 males, 25 females), while the control group contained 39 patients (11 men, 28 women). The participants in the control group were aged from 58 to 100 years and the experimental group featured participants aged from 51 to 95, for whom AAT was included alongside standard care. Blood pressure, heart rate, Barthel index, and general mood were measured in both groups. Results did not reveal any changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or Barthel index in comparison between groups. A great influence was noted in assessment of the mood of the patients. The inclusion of AAT did not affect physiological parameters, but it exerted a significant effect on the psychological well-being of the patients.
Keyphrases
- end stage renal disease
- blood pressure
- heart rate
- chronic kidney disease
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- peritoneal dialysis
- prognostic factors
- healthcare
- physical activity
- adipose tissue
- heart rate variability
- type diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- pain management
- pregnant women
- insulin resistance
- chronic pain
- quality improvement
- pregnancy outcomes