AAI in Elderly Patient With Chronic Pain

Fundacio d'Investigacio en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol i Gurina

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Other: Animal-assisted therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04079985

IDIAPJordiGol

Details and patient eligibility

About

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, there is a progressive aging of population. Chronic osteoarticular pain is associated to a bigger consumption of medication and a deterioration of life quality in elderly people that could be improved by boosting education for health from Primary Health Care. JUSTIFICATION: The need to develop non pharmacological treatments in order to get better results in people's global care. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectivity of group intervention, based on Animal Assisted Therapy, on elderly people suffering from chronic osteoarticular pain and poli-medication; regarding decrease of chronic pain, use of analgesics and improvement of life quality. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Randomized clinical trial, two arms, controlled and open-label. Twelve group sessions of kinesiotherapy with the intervention of a therapy dog in the experimental group (EG), carried out in the Primary Health Centre.

Enrollment: 69 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ≥65 years
• diagnosis of chronic benign joint pain
• polypharmacy (>5 drugs or active ingredients, of which 2 or more had been prescribed for pain)

Exclusion criteria

• severe cognitive deterioration (GDS> 5)
• allergy to or fear of animals

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

69 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental Group

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental Group underwent a therapeutic intervention based on sessions of kinesitherapy , which is defined as a set of "therapeutic procedures that use movement for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the locomotive apparatus". The experimental group also underwent AAT. We conducted a total of 12 weekly sessions of 60 minutes each with 10 participants.

Treatment:

Other: Animal-assisted therapy

Control Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The Control Group underwent a therapeutic intervention based on sessions of kinesitherapy , which is defined as a set of "therapeutic procedures that use movement for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the locomotive apparatus" without the presence of the therapy dog.

Treatment:

Other: Animal-assisted therapy