IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 1362: Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Patients in the Department of Long-Term Care: A Pilot Study

IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 1362: Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Patients in the Department of Long-Term Care: A Pilot Study International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph16081362 Authors: Kristýna Machová Radka Procházková Petra Eretová Ivona Svobodová Ilja Kotík 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.
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research