"His ears are so soft!" Animal-assisted interventions in oncology settings: Implications for oncology social work practice
Clinical Practice; Ear; Oncology; Skill; Social Work Practice; 50-56-6 (oxytocin); 51-61-6 (dopamine); 62-31-7 (dopamine); 54577-94-5 (oxytocin); 60118-07-2 (endorphin); Adult; Animal Experiment; Animal Model; Anxiety; Blood Pressure; Cancer Patient; Cancer Therapy; Cerebrovascular Accident; Distress Syndrome; Dog; Dopamine; Endogenous Compound; Endorphin; Family Study; Female; Gene Expression; Happiness; Heart Rate; Hospice; Hospital Patient; Human; Human Versus Animal Comparison; Infusion; Male; Narrative; Nonhuman; Oxytocin; Pain; Palliative Therapy; Pet Therapy; Program Development; Recreation; Social Support; Storytelling; Symptom; Total Quality Management; Trust; Volunteer; Waiting Room
Content: The use of recreational, expressive, and integrative methods of providing supportive care to patients and families coping with cancer is growing in cancer treatment settings. One such method is animal-assisted interventions (AAI). From the clinic to the infusion suite, to the palliative care office, and to the inpatient hospice, the presence of therapy animals provides an another layer of therapeutic intervention to assist in coping with cancer. AAI can provide cancer patients with an opportunity for emotional support, diversion, recreation, sensory integration/tactile benefit, social support, companionship, and relief of distress and symptoms including pain, depression, anxiety, and isolation. Research also suggests that the simple act of petting a dog can lower heart rate and blood pressure (Friedman, 2015), as well as increase levels of oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins (Uyemura, 2013). Oxytocin influences happiness and trust in individuals. "Oxytocin has some powerful effects for us in the body's ability to be in a state of readiness to heal.so it predisposes us to an environment in our bodies where we can be healthier" (http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/03/09/146583986/ pet-therapy-how-animals-and-humans-heal-each-other). In addition, the therapy animal serves as a vehicle of communication, narrative, and storytelling. Imagine a patient sitting anxiously in the waiting room. He or she strokes the therapy dog gently and is taken to another time and place without cancer. He or she reflects on his or her own dog's roles in his or her life, how he or she rescued the dog, plays with the dog, sleeps with the dog. He or she is distracted, relaxed, and utilizing his or her own story to invoke feelings of happiness, normalcy, and hope. This presentation will examine the history, function, and roles of animal-assisted therapy and activities in various settings. The benefits of AAI with cancer patients (both adults and children) as well as with oncology professionals will also be presented. AAI as a method of integrative supportive oncology therapy will be addressed. The benefits of AAI as well as barriers and limitations for these programs in oncology settings will be reviewed. We will explore AAI program development and evaluation through presentation of results from quality improvement surveys completed by program participants. Suggestions for program development, volunteer recruitment and retention, and therapy dog support will also be discussed. Case presentations of AAI in action from various oncology settings will be a highlight of this presentation.
Bach C
Journal Of Psychosocial Oncology
2016
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2016.1147913" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1080/07347332.2016.1147913</a>
Impact of Animal-Assisted Interaction on Anxiety in Children With Advanced Cancer and Their Caregivers
Child; Animals; Anxiety; article; controlled study; female; human; male; Caregivers; patient care; palliative therapy; advanced cancer; caregiver; cancer patient; cancer recurrence; Only Child; nonhuman; dog; animal experiment; animal model; feasibility study; anxiety; pediatric patient; comparative effectiveness; Animal Shells; anticipation; refractory disease; State Trait Anxiety Inventory
Background: Pediatric patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers have unique psychosocial needs. Anxiety often worsens throughout treatment for both patients and parents, and, if undertreated, can cause suffering. Animal-assisted interaction (AAI) incorporates animals into patient care in a structured manner for the purpose of therapeutic benefit. Objective(s): To evaluate feasibility of incorporating AAI into patient care and to assess AAI effectiveness in decreasing patient and caregiver anxiety in pediatric patients with advanced cancer, defined by relapsed or refractory disease. Design(s): Randomized controlled study. Setting/Subjects: Participants were children (n=19) and parents (n=21) who were randomized to AAI group or usual care (UC) group. Measures: Participants completed weekly measures to assess anxiety, including the 20-question State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Result(s): Our results demonstrated feasibility of the use of AAI in children with advanced cancer. While they did not reveal a significant difference in anxiety scores over the four sessions in either group, parents randomized to the AAI group had lower STAI State subscores at initial visit in comparison to the UC group. The difference in initial STAI State anxiety scores for caregivers may indicate a positive effect of AAI in reducing anxiety surrounding appointments through anticipation of seeing a therapy dog. Conclusion(s): Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of AAI in pediatric patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, but results are promising that participation in AAI may lessen caregiver anxiety. Clinical Trial Registration Number is: NCT03765099.
Mahoney AB; Akard TF; Cowfer BA; Dietrich MS; Newton JL; Gilmer MJ
Journal of Palliative Medicine
2023
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2023.0091" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1089/jpm.2023.0091</a>