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Aim

To evaluate children's experiences of and responses to animal-assisted therapy using a therapy dog as complementary treatment in paediatric hospital care.

Methods

The study was performed using mixed methods, by means of qualitative and quantitative data. Fifty children in a paediatric surgery ward, at a tertiary hospital in Sweden, were included between February 2016 to May 2017. Children answered questions about feelings of well-being and experiences of the hospital stay before and after animal-assisted therapy, and experiences of their interaction with a therapy dog.

Results

The children's well-being increased from moderately good before to very good after animal-assisted therapy, and the children assessed the hospital stay as better after than before. The vast majority of the children (93%) assessed the interaction with the dog as very good. The children described mixed experiences before and mainly positive aspects of joy, satisfaction and pain relief after animal-assisted therapy.

Conclusion

The children's responses before interaction, of both a positive and negative nature, show a focus shift after the interaction with a therapy dog to mainly positive nature regarding self-reported feeling of well-being and experiences of the hospital stay. Using a therapy dog in paediatric hospital care is suitable complementary treatment.

The aim of the study was to investigate the interaction process between child and dog and how it possibly affects children's wellbeing during Animal Assisted Activity.

Children have reported negative feelings such as fear and anxiety when being cared for in hospital and various kinds of complementary treatment can alleviate this. Different complementary treatments, including interaction with a dog, can create positive emotions and the treatment has been reported to have both physiological and psychological beneficial effects. However, there is a lack of studies describing children's interaction with a dog.

This is an observational study, analysed from field notes with qualitative content analysis using a deductive approach. Children (n = 49) aged 3–18 years of age at a paediatric hospital voluntarily participated in the study.

The results are reported on a six-level scale that describes the child-dog interaction: 1. Passive interaction, 2. One-way non-spoken communication, 3. Facilitating the interaction, 4. Interaction by activity encouragement, 5. Interaction initiated by the child, and 6. Interaction through deepened interplay. All children attained level five. Eighty-nine per cent attained level six and these children interacted fully, having a two-way deepened interplay with the dog. Further, when the interaction proceeded to a deepened interplay this affected the children positively both physically and emotionally.

Structured Animal Assisted Activity with a dog that includes an introduction, an active part and a relaxing part is a suitable model to offer children in paediatric hospital care since the children attained a child-initiated interaction or interaction through deepened interplay.

Background

Hospitalization for children often involves stress induced by fear and pain. Complementary therapies, such as Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) with dogs, can alleviate the hospital experience.

Purpose

The first aim of this study was to initiate the development of an instrument that measures healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward complementary therapy, specifically dogs in AAA. The second aim was to elucidate the emerging effects of introducing dogs to children in healthcare settings, as reported by healthcare professionals.

Materials and methods

A questionnaire covering demographics, rating attitudes, and allergy and hygiene risks, followed by open-ended questions, was completed by 61 healthcare professionals (HCPs). Quantitative data were analysed statistically, while qualitative data underwent content analysis.

Results

The Attitude Instrument of Complementary Therapy (AICT) included 7 items and was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis. Healthcare professionals had a median score of 25 (range 18–28), high scores indicating a more positive attitude. However, 36 % of the HCPs perceived a risk of allergies, and this group had a significantly lower median score, 22 versus 26. Open-ended answers were analysed into four categories: “Dogs could positively affect children in hospital”, “Dogs may pose a risk of allergies in children”, “Dogs might be frightening for children” and “Dogs can affect healthcare professionals’ working situation”.

Conclusion

The AICT can serve as a valuable tool for investigating HCPs’ attitudes to dogs in AAA as complementary therapies. Professionals view dogs as beneficial for hospitalized children, but attitudes toward dogs working in paediatric care can be influenced by concerns about risks such as allergies.

This study explored the bacterial transmission between patients and dogs during dog assisted therapy (DAT). Twenty children (55% girls) with a median age of 7 years (range 3-17 years) were included. Two dogs assisted and the conditions were more restricted hygienically with dog 2. Samples from child and dog were collected and cultured before and after each DAT visit. The results showed that dog 1 transmitted bacteria repeatedly to the children. No bacteria were transmitted with dog 2. In conclusion, exchange of bacteria can occur between dog and child during DAT, but it can be reduced by simple infection control measures. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Healthcare Infection Society.