Fast Facts – Animal-assisted therapy study
The animal-assisted intervention study suggests using therapy animals to help ICU patients cope and recover, instead of traditional medication-based methods.
Background:
- The study was published in Critical Care on Feb. 12, 2018
- The Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at JHU conducted the study
-Dr. Megan M. Hosey led the research and is a clinical psychologist with post-doctoral fellowship training in rehabilitation psychology and an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University
-Funded solely by JHU School of Medicine
The study:
-The study suggests non-medicinal treatments for ICU patients suffering from mental stress and suffering to promote recovery, since their psychological health is just as important to their physical health
-The researchers used an adaptation of the Loeser pain and suffering model when conducting research. The model categorizes the levels of mental pain a patient is going through and what actions to take to help assist them.
-Animal-assisted therapy already exists in some healthcare facilities. Such therapy is used to reduce pain and promote recovery.
-Other existing studies suggest therapy animals reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, promote rehabilitation and ease distressing physiologic symptoms
-Through anecdotal evidence, our researchers found that a dog sitting in a patient’s lap did more to reduce pain and build motivation in ways traditional medication may not
-As critical care medicine is increasingly successful in preventing death, rehabilitation doctors are more focused on enhancing patients’ wellbeing in the ICU. Animal therapy can play an important role, according to Hosey’s study.
CONTACT: Dr. Megan M. Hosey, 410-614-4030, mhosey@jhu.edu
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