Biobehavioral Effects of Therapy Dog Visitation in Elderly Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Pilot and Feasibility Study

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Psychosocial Stress

Treatments: Behavioral: Therapy dog visitation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02997852

HSC-SN-15-0169

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to assess the preliminary efficacy of a 10-minute therapy dog visitation (TDV) in reducing biobehavioral stress responses.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ≥50 years old
• able to provide consent and understand English
• able to complete study instruments

Exclusion criteria

• currently taking hormone replacement or steroidal anti-inflammatory medications,
• in contact precautions at facility,
• diagnosed with Addison's or Cushing's disease
• fears or phobias to dogs, or allergies to dogs.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

15 participants in 2 patient groups

Therapy dog visitation

Experimental group

Description:

The TDV will consist of a 10-minute visit from the same Faithful Paws animal handler and her dog. Each therapy dog meets obedience, temperament, and health standards appropriate to therapy dog visitation in hospital settings. The dog will be leashed and under control of the animal handler and the TDV will be casual and not restrict the handler with conversing, which is standard practice in TDV. Visual and tactile contact with the dog will be promoted by the animal handler. Per hospital protocol, the patient will be assisted in washing his/her hands before and after the TDV and the dog will be placed on the bed or remain at the bedside in close proximity allowing petting. A clean sheet will be placed over the patient when the dog is placed on the bed. The research staff will collect data before and after each arm of the study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Therapy dog visitation

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Usual care in the intensive care unit.