Table 4 Summary of outcomes from studies included in the review
From: Patient benefit of dog-assisted interventions in health care: a systematic review
First author (year) | Condition | Intervention | Outcomes of DAI | Author’s conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lutwack-Bloom (2005) [38] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ↑Profile of Mood States (POMS) | The results suggest that the findings indicated that the intervention works better with general mood disorders than with depression alone. |
Majic (2013) [39] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (DMAS) ⎼Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ⎼Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) | AAT is a promising option for the treatment of agitation/aggression and depression in patients with dementia. |
Travers (2013) [40] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑↓Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD)a ⎼The MOS-Item short form health survey (SF-36) ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-SF) ↑Multidimensional Observational Scale for Elderly Subjects (MOSES)b | The authors conclude that the study provides some evidence that dog-assisted therapy may be beneficial for some residents of aged care facilities with dementia. |
Bono (2015) [41] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑Barthel Index ↑Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) ↓Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) | The study confirms the feasibility of AAT with dogs in low-mild Alzheimer’s disease |
Friedmann (2015) [42] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Barthel Index - Physical function ↑Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) ⎼AES – Emotional function ⎼Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) | Evidence supports that the PAL program helps preserve/enhance function of AL residents with CI. |
Olsen (2016) [43] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ↑Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) ⎼Brief Agitation Rating Scale (BARS) ↑Quality of Life in Late-stage Dementia (QUALID)c | Animal-assisted activities may have a positive effect on depression and QoL in older people with dementia. |
Thodberg (2016) [44] | Cognitive disorders | Activating | ⎼Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ⎼Gottfried-Brane-Steen scale (GBS) ⎼Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ⎼Sleep data ⎼Body Mass Index (BMI) | Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the patients. The relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored. |
Schuck (2015) [45] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑ADHD-Rating Scale-Fourth edition (ADHD-RS-IV) ↑Social Skills Improvement Systems-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) ↑Social Competence Inventory (SCI) | Results suggest that CAI offers a novel therapeutic strategy that may enhance cognitive-behavioral interventions for children with ADHD. |
Stefanini (2015) [46] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) ↑Format of hospital care scale ↑Ordinary school attendance scale ↑Patients behaviors during AAT | Our results verify that AAT can have significant positive effects on therapeutic progress and the recovery process. |
Calvo (2016) [47] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ⎼Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) ⎼EQ-5D – Quality of life ↑Adherence to Treatment ↑ Decrease in saliva cortisol | The results suggest that AAT could be a useful adjunct to conventional psychosocial rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia. |
Stefanini (2016) [48] | Psychiatric disorders | Therapeutic | ↑Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) ↑Youth Self Report (YSR) ↑Patients behaviors during AATd | The effects of AAT in reducing emotional and behavioral symptoms and increasing global competence and psychological functioning were substantiated. |
Nagengast (1997) [49] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ↑Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ↑Mean arterial blood pressure ↑Heart rate ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) | The findings support the use of a companion animal in reducing stress experienced by children during physical examination. |
Hansen (1999) [50] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ⎼Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ⎼Mean arterial blood pressure ⎼Heart rate ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) | Companion animals may be useful in a variety of health care settings to decrease procedure-induced distress in children. |
Havener (2001) [51] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ⎼Peripheral skin temperature ⎼Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) | The authors conclude that further research using a larger sample should be done to determinate the effect of a companion animal with children for whom the dental visit is most stressful. |
Johnson (2008) [52] | Stress and mood | Activity | ⎼Profile of Mood states (POMS) ⎼Self-perceived health questionnaire ⎼Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OTLQ) | The study warrants replication with a larger sample to determine applicability of animal-assisted activity in cancer patients with radiation therapy. |
Vagnoli (2015) [53] | Stress and mood | Supportive | ↑Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) ⎼The Wong-Baker Scale (Face scale) ⎼Visual analog scale (VAS) - pain ⎼State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) ↑Serum cortisol plasma | The presence of dogs during venipuncture reduces distress in children and improves physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. |
Krause-Parello (2016) [54] | Stress and mood | Activity | ↑Systolic blood pressure ⎼Diastolic blood pressure ↑Heart rate | Study findings supported that pet therapy significant decreased blood pressure and heart rate. |
Harper (2015) [55] | Pain | Supportive | ↑Visual analog scale (VAS) - pain Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey (HCAHPS)e | The use of therapy dogs has a positive effect on patients’ pain level and satisfaction with hospital stay after total joint replacement. |