Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Animal- Assisted Therapy On The Health And Well- Being Of Military Veterans: A Systematic Scoping Review And Recommendations For Future Research, Brooke Fonseka, Fiona Marshall, Laura J. Edwards

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Veterans of the armed forces may have experienced a range of physical and psychological traumas during their service, which can lead to long-standing problems with health and well-being, sometimes compounded with challenges accessing and engaging with support. Animal-assisted therapies (AAT) may offer an engaging, holistic approach that could be helpful for the veteran population. The aim of this scoping review is to examine the existing research on the effects of AAT on the health and well-being of veterans.

Method: The databases EMBASE (OVID), Web of Science, Cinahl, Cochrane and Medline were searched in October 2020. Articles were screened against inclusion …

Making The Case: Adding A Social Work Perspective To A Case Study In A Veterinary Practice, Paula Gerstenblatt, Diane Rhodes, Dorothea Ivey

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

This article describes a case study exploration of a veterinary practice from the perspective of social work. Recognizing the stressful work of veterinary providers, including compassion fatigue and high suicide rates, the current study identified both a need for and the potential role of social workers in veterinary practice. Professionals were interviewed in an emergency/specialty practice. Using the interview data, the authors built a demonstrative case that underlines the vulnerability of veterinary professionals and the potential of social work to improve the quality of their work experiences and longevity.

Stakeholders’ Perspectives On The Safety Of An Adaptive Riding Program For Adults Living With Dementia And Care Partners, Alicia A. Oestreich, Beth E. Fields

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The purpose of this qualitative community-based participatory research was to explore the safety perspectives of stakeholders involved in an adaptive horseback riding program designed to enhance the quality of life of adults living with dementia and their care partners. Human–animal interactions are becoming increasingly popular therapeutic interventions; however, there is still a lack of understanding about the safety considerations for providing adults living with dementia opportunities to interact with horses and the equine environment. To advance our understanding, researchers analyzed 10 semistructured interviews and two focus groups with therapeutic riding program instructors and staff, aging network specialists, and care partners …

Mothers’ Reflections On Cat Ownership For A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder During Covid-19, Saskia Keville, Sophia De Vita, Amanda K. Ludlow

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Animal- assisted interventions are increasingly used as a complementary therapy in clinical practice to support people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with promising outcomes compared to traditional therapies. Less is understood about the therapeutic benefits of more accessible and affordable small pet ownership for families with a child with ASD, alongside the pets’ welfare living in these homes. This study explored the experiences of cat ownership for young people with ASD from the perspective of their mothers during a time of transition generated by COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six mothers and transcripts analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three …

Understanding Psychiatric Patients’ Experience Of Virtual Animal-Assisted Therapy Sessions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Haley Scheck, Linzi Williamson, Colleen A. Dell

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Canine animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can improve the mental health and well-being of incarcerated individuals. An in-person AAT program has been offered at the Regional Psychiatric Center (RPC) in Saskatoon, Canada, since 2014 with St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program (SJATDP) dog and handler teams. The program transitioned, for the first time, to a virtual format with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This exploratory research examines whether and how a virtual offering of AAT at RPC can provide positive benefits to forensic psychiatric patients. Overall, the findings reveal an understanding of the virtual sessions from patient, handler, …

Perceptions And Practices Of Key Worker Stakeholder Groups In Hospital Animal- Assisted Intervention Programs On Occupational Benefits And Perceived Risks, Kathryn R. Dalton, William Altekruse, Peter Campbell, Kathy Ruble, Karen C. Carroll, Roland J. Thorpe Jr., Jacqueline Agnew, Meghan F. Davis

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Background: Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs, used widely for patient benefit, have increasingly been used for healthcare workers (HCW) to reduce occupational stress. However, there are barriers to these programs which limit their utilization, for both patients and HCW, specifically infectious disease concerns. The aim of the research project is to identify barriers and facilitators to AAI program use for healthcare worker benefit, and determine knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding infectious disease risk and control policies, in order to understand the contextual parameters of program implementation.

Methods: We collected perceptions of key stakeholders involved with hospital AAI programs (HCW and AAI …

“Why Should The Fish Feel Safe? I Don’T Feel Safe!”: An Audit Of Pet Ownership Within An Nhs Service For Adults With Severe Mental Illness, With Lessons For Service Improvement, Abigail Alfrey, Steve Church, Niki Christodoulou, Emma Harding

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Background—Several studies have identified that pets can promote mental health, wellness, and recovery. However, little is known about the impact of pet ownership upon those with a severe mental illness (SMI), or whether mental health services are offering sufficient support that is specific to the needs of pet-owning service users. Aims—To identify the proportion of pet owners among an urban, U.K.-based community psychosis service; and to elicit service users’ views on pet ownership, to better understand and support this population’s particular needs. Method—The proportion of pet owners among this sample (n = 212) was compared with U.K. population data …